After 32 Years, This Loyal Saints Season Ticket Holder Is Losing His Seats Due To Renovations
Katy Baines says her dad is one of the most loyal New Orleans Saints fans ever.
Of course, there are millions of people who would probably lay claim to that title but Baines isn't just saying it—she's got some pretty convincing receipts.
One of the most important receipts would be the one from her dad's New Orleans Saints season tickets. He's had his season tickets in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for 32 years and recently, he learned that his beloved seats would be going away due to renovations.
Baines said that the Saints representative who called to deliver the bad news says it was his "hardest call to make" after seeing just how long her dad has been a loyal Saints season-ticket holder.
The call went from bad to worse once Baines said her family wasn't even getting a "1st option at any open seats."
She took to social media to share photos and memories from her dad's last three decades in the dome. Not only would he drive 4 hours to every single home game, but Baines also claimed that the eight home games her father missed this past season due to COVID-19 restrictions were more than he has missed in the last 32 seasons combined.
Oh, and when he had to miss, he's never sold a ticket to an opposing fan.
Katy went on to share numerous memories, from the unforgettable NFC Championship win that took to the Saints to their first-ever Super Bowl (and Super Bowl win!) to the post game dance ritual that her father always does to show his grandkids a good time.
Baines even reached out to Saints players and coaches, including head coach Sean Payton.
While we are uncertain if the Saints are aware of Baines' tweets going viral, the team's VP Greg Bensel confirmed to WWL's Paul Murphy that they'll be losing over 4,000 seats in the dome as a result of ongoing construction but are going through the process of notifying all of the season ticket holders in sections that will be affected.
Bensel described the process is that isn't "perfect" but that the organization will "make it right" at "the end of the day."
This isn't the first time the Saints (or the fans) have gone through something like this. As a matter of fact, I've been a Saints' season ticket holder for almost 10 years now but got my seats as a result of a friend's section being destroyed during similar renovations.
They eventually offered him better seats in another section and I was able to buy his seats in another part of the dome. Eventually, he would officially transfer them over to me.
One fan described his experience with losing seats, telling Baines that he was relocated after the Saints won their first Super Bowl.
Other fans let her know that they were also recently notified that their seats would be going away as part of the renovations.
Baines says that the organization claims that if anything comes up, they will be notified, but there doesn't seem to be any guarantees based on what she has been tweeting from her official account.
Even in the midst of all of the upsetting news, Saints fans have reached out to empathize with Baines—some even offering up their season tickets.
Others suggest the Saints should bump other season ticket holders with less seniority.
Either way, we know that this must be a difficult situation for everyone involved, but hopefully, the Saints can keep their word and "make it right" for this dedicated fan and his family.
Based on tradition (and this young Saints fan) doing right by the Baines family may continue to pay off for the organization for generations to come.
What should the Saints do to make it right for the Baines family? Share your thoughts in the comments.
”Remembering
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