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Roger Goodell encourages New Orleans to keep bidding for Super Bowls

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NFL owners did not bestow upon New Orleans another Super Bowl, but commissioner Roger Goodell wants to make sure they keep trying to get one.

According to Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Goodell sent Saints owner Tom Benson a letter this week congratulating him on an impressive bid, one which fell to “strong and unique” competition.

“Thank you to you and your team for the hard work and impressive bid by New Orleans to host Super Bowl 53 in 2019,” the letter reads. “The vision for a ‘Big, Easy, Super Bowl’ was well articulated and presented. It is clear to all owners that New Orleans is a top-notch Super Bowl city with talented leadership representing the Saints and the community.

“Although you did not secure the 2019 game against unusually strong and unique competition, we would look forward to working closely with you and your community in bringing a Super Bowl back to New Orleans soon. There is a reason New Orleans has been the home of 10 Super Bowls, and we know that it is in a strong position to host more in the future.

“Thank you for your leadership and your many contributions to the success of the league. Our office and the Super Bowl Advisory Committee will continue to support your efforts.”

While New Orleans is one of the easiest places to have a good time at a Super Bowl (not to mention among the most logistically convenient), the city is falling behind in the stadium arms race.

While they poured $336 million into the Superdome beginning in 2011, it’s still among the league’s oldest stadiums. And the memory of the lights going out in the middle of Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 isn’t something people are going to forget.

So with new buildings or dramatically renovated ones being rewarded with Super Bowls, the Saints are faced with a long drought between games. They’re already promised out the next five games through 2021, and Dallas is already planning a bid for one of the games in the next wave. Tampa will possibly join them, having not hosted since 2009.

But there were people who liked the New Orleans bid — and love having competition to create better value — so making sure the Saints stay in the loop is clearly in the league’s best interest.