New Orleans Saints to practice at TCU due to Hurricane Ida

TCU will be giving the New Orleans Saints use of their football facilities while the team is displaced due to Hurricane Ida, via The Times-Picayune’s Jeff Duncan. The hurricane wreaked havoc where the Saints play and practice, and the team was without a place to practice for the time being.

TCU helping the Saints after Hurricane Ida

As the Saints are unable to practice in their home facilities due to Hurricane Ida, TCU has offered a helping hand as first reported by Pro Football Talk’s Cherean Williams on Tuesday. Duncan’s report confirms that the Saints have accepted their offer.

“TCU has offered its facilities to the Saints, and the Saints are expected to end up practicing there while displaced,” stated Williams. “As a side note, Sean Payton’s son goes to TCU. SMU is a backup option. TCU also helped out the Cowboys when their indoor practice facility collapsed in 2009.

In 2009, the Dallas Cowboys had their practice facility collapse due to tornado-like wind conditions. Without a facility to practice in, TCU then offered their building to Dallas as they are now with the Saints.

New Orleans has relocated temporarily to the Dallas Cowboys home stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Hurricane displacement

The New Orleans Saints are unfortunately no stranger to being displaced due to catastrophic hurricanes. In 2005, the Saints were forced to practice and play “home” games in other cities than New Orleans. They used multiple practice locations around San Antonio in neighboring state Texas.

At the time, San Antonio officials were making a concerted effort to keep the Saints in town permanently, creating a struggle on top of their displacement. In 2005, the Saints would play three of their home games in San Antonio’s Alamodome stadium and four in Baton Rouge’s Tiger Stadium.

The lack of stability wore the team down as multiple members of the 2005 Saints have recalled it as one of the worst times in their career. The Saints that season finished 3-13 in a disappointing season on and off the field.

Other displaced teams

Multiple teams have been pushed into difficult situations around the college sports world as well.

Tulane University was forced to relocate to Alabama’s practice facilities in preparation for their upcoming game against Oklahoma. Oklahoma continued the generosity by designating Tulane the home team for their opening week matchup as they would have been before the storm. They will be retaining all proceeds from ticket sales for Tulane, despite being played in the Oklahoma home stadium.

LSU was also forced to relocate as a result of Hurricane Ida. The team was transported by bus in a trip that took nearly ten hours to the city of Houston. The Houston Texans opened their stadium to the Tigers so they could practice for their upcoming UCLA matchup.