True or False
The New Orleans Saints are a team built by Congress
Without the New Orleans Saints, the NFL today would not be possible
The 1965 AFL All-Star game in New Orleans was the subject of a major, successful civil rights boycott – the first in professional sports.
All True!!! The Saints Have a Unique History
The New Orleans Saints were formed as a result of the anti-trust exemptions given to Pro Football by Congress upon the merger of the NFL and the AFL in 1966.
Rep. Hale Boggs (the #3 leader in the US House) and Sen. Russell Long made a deal with the NFL to give New Orleans a team… if the legislation passed.
So… What is anti-trust exemption?
Anti-Trust exemptions give certain businesses the ability to have a monopoly (or exist without competition) because these unique businesses cannot succeed with total market competition. Anti-Trust MUST be approved by Congress.
Anti-Trust for the NFL applies to many aspects of the business of pro football including broadcast rights, free agency for players and licensed merchandise.
1920 – NFL is formed The NFL is one of
several leagues to operate between 1920 and 1950. As leagues fail, their best, most profitable teams are absorbed into the NFL.
Teams are in the Northeast and Midwest, no teams south of Washington DC.
NFL Teams Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers Washington Redskins New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles Detroit Lions St. Louis Cardinals Los Angeles Rams Baltimore Colts Cleveland Browns San Francisco ‘49ers
Hmm… no Southern teams Oil millionaire Lamar Hunt, at
age 27 already one of the richest men in Texas, wants an NFL team in Dallas.
The NFL says they do not want to expand and will not allow Hunt to purchase the Chicago Chargers and move them to Dallas.
Lamar Hunt won’t take “no” for an answer… and forms the rival American Football League (AFL).
1960 -- Here Comes the AFL Dallas Texans (now
Kansas City Chiefs)
Houston Oilers New England
Patriots New York Titans Oakland Raiders Los Angeles
Chargers Denver Broncos Buffalo Bills
The AFL Knows Television Matters… and so do the Fans Hunt knew that
televising an entire football season and not just a few games would lead to a nationwide audience who already loves the college game – and more money for professional football.
AFL signs a 5 year exclusive contract with ABC to televise their season.
AFL puts player names on jerseys and the official time on the scoreboard!
The American Football League and Civil Rights
AFL Teams recruit from a new source of untapped talent… Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Lamar Hunt went to many Grambling State University games at the Cotton Bowl and focused on this untapped talent.
NFL Teams had no more than 5 black players each – the AFL welcomed every talented player and many teams were close to 50% black – in the early ‘60’s. This makes their league
highly successful – a true rival to the NFL.
Willie Lanier – from Morgan State to the Kansas City Chiefs
Abner Haynes, first AFL Rookie of the Year
New Orleans Wants a Team – but Causes a Boycott! New Orleans businessmen want an AFL team and offer to host the
All-Star Game to show how strong a market it would be for a pro football team.
After the 22 black AFL players on the All-Star teams experience discrimination from segregationist laws and practices in the week leading up to the 1965 AFL All-Star game in New Orleans, they decided to boycott the game.
The All-Star game was moved to Houston – on 2 days notice!
Following this, AFL players, led by Jack Kemp, voiced opposition to expanding to New Orleans.
New Orleans was unable to get the football team it wanted from the planned AFL expansion.
Ernie Warlick, Players’ Spokesman
"The American Football League is progressing in great strides, and the Negro players feel they are playing a vital role in the league's progression. They are being treated fairly in all cities in the league.
"However, because of adverse conditions and discriminatory practices experienced by Negro players while here in New Orleans, the players feel they cannot perform 100 percent as expected in the All-Star Game and be treated differently."
The NFL Wants to Merge In 1966, the NFL
realizes that the AFL presents a REAL threat… and proposes a merger.
This would have the NFL operate as two conferences but ONE league.
At the end of the season, there would be a world championship –named the “SUPER BOWL” by Lamar Hunt.
But there is nothing a little Louisiana deal making can’t solve…
As the NFL’s commissioner Pete Rozelle lobbied Congress for anti-trust protections, Louisiana’s powerful Rep. Hale Boggs and Sen. Russell Long, made a deal: YOU get your law… New Orleans gets a team
Boggs
Long
Rozelle
An offer you can’t refuse
For Rozelle and the NFL, this was “an offer you can’t refuse”.
Without these Louisiana Politicians, the law would not pass. The League would not exist.
President Johnson signed the Anti-Trust exemption which has been upheld many times by the Superme Court.
On Nov. 1, 1966 the New Orleans Saints are named as an NFL team
The announcement comes on All Saints Day.
The name had to be approved by the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
New Orleans is a member of the NFL.
1970 – Merger of NFL and AFL is complete Conferences are re-named NFC and
AFC.
League expands teams until they have 24 in 1970.
More teams are added in the ’90s and ‘00s until the league has 32 teams.
Congress still oversees the NFL due to the Anti-Trust Exemption Anti-Trust can be a 2
way street for businesses – you get protections, but your business depends on the will of Congress.
NFL players and executives testify regularly before Congress. Roger Goodell and Mike Ditka,
2009 hearing about NFL retirement benefits.
After Hurricane Katrina…
The unique role of Louisiana and the New Orleans Saints in the formation and success of the NFL was THE key reason the NFL agreed to keep the team in New Orleans, IF the fan support was there.
Louisiana responded, selling out the Dome for the first time in YEARS in 2006.
There were HUGE concerns about the Superdome but its old architecture has proven to be a potent weapon, creating the loudest stadium in the League.
43 years later…
The New Orleans Saints, the team Congress created, are finally in the SUPER BOWL!!
As you have learned today, the Saints have always been “America’s Team”.
