When the Saints go marching away

There's a report making it's way all over the news services that says the New Orleans Saints are no more, so to speak. It's a lame duck franchise that will play the 2006 season in San Antonio, Texas before moving west to Los Angeles for 2007 and beyond.

"It's not the individuals who show up at the game and buy the tickets. The people are great. It's the business, or lack of, that's the primary factor. For whatever reason, the area simply does not have many strong and large businesses."

That's sports consultant Marc Ganis talking and speaking a cold reality that is pro sports in the United States. Screw the people who support and are attached to their franchise -- it's all about money in the end.

Tom Benson has made it no secret that he wanted Superdome renovated before Hurricane Katrina came knocking. He threatened to move the team east - to Jackson, Mississippi - but it was rumored that the powers-that-be in the NFL did not like that idea as it would move the team from a weak financial market to an even weaker one.

In the case of moving the team to San Antonio and then Los Angeles - it moves the team to two cities with populations with larger disposable incomes... Just what the NFL wants - fans that can spend extra.