Female Fan Base Supports Saints in Superbowl Run

Have you noticed the recent explosion in female fans at Saints games the past year or two?  Trust me, there is no shortage of the ladies when it comes to New Orleans Saints football.  You’ll see them tailgating before the big game and in the Superdome stands during the game.  More women are even watching the games on T.V. with their husbands and kids. 

In fact, it is not only Saints football that has seen an increase in it’s female fan base.  The NFL reports that women across the country are more into football now than ever before. Though the NFL’s fan base was once considered to be heavily male, women now make up nearly half of the viewing audience.  NFL statistics show that from 2001 to 2005, the percentage of female NFL fans increased by 8.6 percent, and in 2005 an ESPN fan poll found that 43 percent of the football league’s fans were women. Women comprise 58 million of the 138 million Americans who consider themselves NFL fans.

It’s estimated that 45 million women watch NFL games each weekend and that 375,000-plus attend the matchups in person. Super Bowl XLIII, which featured the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, had the second-largest number of female viewers of any sporting event in the last 15 years.  That game attracted 38.3 million female viewers–the most women to ever tune in to a Super Bowl.  The statistics also show that the number of women watching the Super Bowl has increased 8% over the past decade, and the trend is expected to continue with this years Superbowl, where it is estimated that 50 million female viewers tuned in.

According to the responses gathered at a focus group conducted by the NFL, “women agreed that the one time their family is together in the same place at the same time is Sunday afternoon watching football.”  It is also more accepted and expected for women to take an active interest in football. According to NFL research, more than 10,000 women annually attend NFL 101 workshops, which cover the history of the game, strategy, equipment and officiating.

The NFL has never been shy on its merchandising skills, and in customary fashion they jumped at the first chance they got to market to this growing fan base.  Almost since its inception the league has sold team gear such as hats and jerseys.  But most of it was designed for male fans. But that is now changing.  The women’s pro shop is now the NFL’s fastest growing department.

A few things have influenced this trend.  In 1999 Reebok designed the first women’s jersey and a shopping frenzy began.  Then in 2005 the Grren Bay Packers released a line of pink clothing to raise money for breast cancer research. Again, another star was born which helped pave the way for the NFL’s current clothing and accessories line.

So why the sudden explosing in the number of female fans?  Many theories exist, but the fact remains that football is the most popular sport in America for a reason. It’s not just about a game; football comes with a socialization aspect. There are few, if any, other sports that bring so many people together socially with a make-a-day-of-it frame of mind. From Super Bowl parties to tailgating festivities, the entertainment value of american football lies in the camaraderie that is shared by fellow fans. And you certainly can’t get any better than that in the city of New Orleans.

The city of New Orleans is set to host its first parade to honor the Saints as Super Bowl Champions. The parade is scheduled to begin today at 5:00 PM. The parade will start on Poydras St in front of the Superdome. It will then turn right on Loyola Ave. and will travel to Howard Ave. It will turn left on Howard, go around Lee Circle and will then travel up St. Charles Ave. From there, the parade will take the traditional uptown carnival route.

The parade will be a first in another aspect as well. It will be the first time that signature floats from Endymion, Bacchus, Rex, Zulu, Alla, Caesar, Tucks, Muses, Orpheus and Babylon are all used in the same parade. The parade will also feature over a dozen marching bands as well as the Budweiser Clydesdales. “Our mandate was to put together a high-quality parade.” “We wanted to make sure that we showed the rest of the world how Super Bowl parades should be held”, Barry Kern said.

Large crowds of Who Dat Nation fans are expected along the parade route. Both the Orleans and Jefferson Parish School systems announced that they would release students early because of the parade. Because of parking restrictions along the route, it is suggested that fans arrive early. “Don’t try to come at 5 o’clock and park”, Barry Kern said.

Who Dat Nation Expected in Large Numbers

The New Orleans Saints, winners of Superbowl 44 in Miami are set to arrive at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at 1:30 PM today.

Who Dat Nation fans are expected in large numbers to greet the team upon their arrival. If you’re looking for more proof that New Orleans Saints fans are the loudest, craziest, most intense fans anywhere in the National Football League, you need look no further than a half-mile stretch in Kenner.

The party began in earnest after the Saints beat the favored Colts 31-17. Thousands of fans packed the French Quarter after the win. Throughout the city residents could be seen riding atop cars, setting off fireworks and blasting their horns. And most could be heard chanting “Who Dat Who Dat Who Dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints!”

The city, known for its penchant to throw a party, began their Mardi Gras celebration a week early. After the teams arrival back in New Orleans, a parade will be held to honor the teams Super Bowl win. The parade will be held on Tuesday, February 9th, 2009 at 5:00 P.M. The parade route will begin on Poydras St. in front of the Superdome. It will end on Convention Center Boulevard.

Upset the Favored Colts

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns to outshine the Colts’ Peyton Manning in a match-up of MVP quarterbacks. Brees later said, We just believed in ourselves”. “We knew we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us.”

Mardi Gras-style started early in Dolphin Stadium when Louisiana native Tracy Porter picked a Manning pass with just over three minutes left and raced 74 yards for a score to give the Saints a 31-17 lead.

“I’m proud of this team, these coaches and everybody back in New Orleans,” Saints coach Sean Payton told the crowd after the game.

The Colts’ last gasp ended with 44 seconds left when Manning’s pass slipped through the hands of Reggie Wayne in the end zone, giving the Saints their first NFL title in their 43-year history.

Manning, who was hoping to lead the Colts to their second Super Bowl championship in the last four seasons, finished with 31 completions in 45 attempts for 333 yards, one touchdown and one costly interception.

The Saints entered the fourth quarter trailing 17-16 but Brees hit Tight End Jeremy Shockey on a two-yard scoring pass to give the Saints a 22-16 lead with under six minutes to go.

Brees, named the game’s Most Valuable Player, found receiver Lance Moore on a two-point conversion attempt that was ruled incomplete. But New Orleans successfully challenged the call to take a 24-17 lead.

Porter, who had a key pickoff against Minnesota in the NFC championship game, sealed the victory with the interception of Manning’s pass, pointing towards the end zone during the last 20 yards. “It means so much,” Porter said. “Words can’t describe how much this means for New Orleans.”

“The Who” that’s who.

One of the Worlds greatest and most dynamic rock bands, “The Who”, will perform at the 2010 Superbowl, during the Bridgestone halftime show. The Who is expected to play a 15 song medley during the performance. The identities of the songs contained in the medley will be unknown until the Super Bowl performance, but, really, they’re all good.

It is actually quite curious that The Who was chosen to perform. They have not released an album of songs in four years. However, the Superbowl is a great way for the band to promote it’s new greatest hits album. The band, which originally formed in 1964, rose to fame in the UK with a series of top ten hit singles. The Who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, their first year of eligibility.

The Who’s original drummer, Keith Moon, died in 1978. The band released two albums after his death, Face Dances in 1981 and It’s Hard in 1982 with Drummer Kenney Jones. The band disbanded in 1983 but have performed for special concerts and reunion tours in ’89, ’96 and ’97. In 2000 original bassist John Entwistle died as well. Vocalist Roger Daltry and guitarist Pete Townsend continued to perform as The Who. In 2006 they released an album titled “Endless Wire”.

Besides The Who, there will be other star-studded performances as well. Country sensation Carrie Underwood will be performing the Star Spangled Banner to kick off the game. Underwood rose to fame after her season 4 win on American Idol. Underwood will be followed by Queen Latifah who will be singing America the Beautiful.