Baton Rouge Business Publication Turns to Object 9 for Insight

Economist: Saints win great, but little financial impact

People around Louisiana are thrilled with the New Orleans Saints' first-ever Super Bowl victory, but the game won't have a major influence on the city or state, an LSU economist says. "This is a great win for the Saints, the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana, but it's not going to balance the city or state budget at all," says Jim Richardson. Richardson says Mitch Landrieu's landslide win Saturday in the New Orleans mayoral race will have, by comparison, a long-term impact on the city since it indicates there will be a more robust recovery effort. "Winning the Super Bowl is great, but to show people New Orleans is an up-to-date, modern, growing city is hard work," he says. One positive event that may come out of the Super Bowl is representing New Orleans as a city where people of all races and backgrounds have united around a team. "That’s a powerful image," Richardson says.

Andy Gutowski, partner and creative director with Object 9, a local marketing firm, says it's difficult to measure the marketing impact of the Super Bowl because the event is just so large. But the national exposure has caused Americans to rally around the Saints. "People have to be feeling better about coming to New Orleans," he says. One of the biggest effects is the goodwill generated by Drew Brees and Coach Sean Payton. "Both of those men are such class acts," Gutowski says. To keep the goodwill and camaraderie surrounding the Super Bowl win going, Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared this week as "Saints Week" statewide. "The Saints played for more than just themselves; they played for a city and a state that has looked to the team for hope through difficult times," Jindal says in the proclamation.