The New Orleans Saints arrived in France this week to play the NFL’s first game in the country, a venture that combined a high-stakes athletic contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers with an aggressive international business expansion. While the team is currently stationed on the outskirts of Versailles to avoid urban unrest, the operation represents months of logistical coordination involving government officials, corporate partners, and cultural ambassadors.
This trip is more than a scheduled game; it is a strategic attempt to export the “New Orleans brand” to Europe. According to a detailed account shared by Erica Bernadas, the expansion was driven by owner Gayle Benson’s vision to create international opportunities for the organization and the Louisiana region. The effort involved a massive infrastructure of “Saints House” in central Paris, a retail collaboration with Paris Saint-Germain, and a private charter transporting nearly 250 executives and government officials.
Saints Owner Gayle Benson, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Steelers Owner Art Rooney II met with French President Emmanuel Macron today at the Élysée Palace in Paris to discuss Sunday’s game and the long-term future of the NFL in France 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/KeHaULEmlW
Business interests meet the gridiron
The scale of the Saints’ presence in France suggests a corporate objective that rivals the sporting one. The organization didn’t just bring a roster; they brought a trade delegation. Bernadas noted that the team hosted over 40 partners for an annual Patron Saints Partner Trip and facilitated meetings between European and Louisiana business leaders at La Maison Des Saints, working in tandem with Louisiana Economic Development.
The economic footprint of the trip is evidenced by the list of corporate backers. Major entities including Entergy, Ochsner Health, Meta, and Community Coffee joined the effort, while organizational support came from GNO, Inc., Business France, and the Louisiana Office of Tourism. By integrating these partners into “invite-only” events curated by Mrs. Benson and the Saints are using the NFL's global reach to create opportunities for Louisiana-based industry.
Safety concerns amid Parisian unrest
The celebratory atmosphere of the business expansion has been tempered by significant volatility on the ground. FOX News reported that the team arrived amid a backdrop of looting and fires in Paris, sparked by protests against the high cost of living. While the Saints’ arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport was peaceful, the broader environment remains tense, with rioters attacking public buildings in various French towns.
To mitigate risk, the team is staying in Versailles, roughly 12 to 15 miles from central Paris. Head coach Kellen Moore confirmed that there are no planned team-bonding tours of the city, though players are not strictly forbidden from dining out, provided they remain vigilant. The tension is palpable among the players; tight end Juwan Johnson told NOLA.com that as outsiders, they simply want to be as safe as possible. Johnson further noted that his wife, though present on the trip, remains undecided about attending Sunday’s game at Stade de France.
“Keep it low-key, keep it fun, do things as a group, do things as a team… stay out of the mix and don’t find any way to be a distraction to what our ultimate goal here is.”
The quote from safety Justin Reid highlights the internal team directive: maintain a low profile. While some players, including Reid, expressed interest in attending a soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona at the Parc des Princes, the overarching mandate from the coaching staff is to treat this primarily as a business trip.
The logistics of a cultural export
Bringing a professional football operation to a foreign continent requires a level of planning that begins long before the planes take off. The organization executed over eight community and flag football events across the city and introduced two “French cousin” mascots to bridge the gap between New Orleans and Parisian culture. This cultural diplomacy is designed to build a permanent fanbase abroad, rather than just a one-time appearance.
The operational complexity is highlighted by the following scale of engagement:
- Attendance: Over 200 guests hosted at Stade de France and 800+ watch party attendees in New Orleans.
- Personnel: A private charter for nearly 250 executives, staff, and government officials.
- Digital Reach: A coordinated content blitz across the Saints and Saints_France social channels and mobile app.
The risk of the global game
When the NFL issued a statement confirming the game would proceed as scheduled, the Saints concurred, signaling that the organizational commitment to the French market outweighs the current civic instability.
For the players, the stakes are immediate. They must balance the novelty of being in one of the world’s most visited cities with the reality of a nation facing presidential elections next year and widespread social unrest. As coach Kellen Moore puts it, the players are smart enough to understand the nature of the trip.
The success of this venture will likely be measured not by the final score against the Steelers, but by whether the connections made at La Maison Des Saints translate into long-term economic growth for Louisiana.
"We are going to be a part of history,"- Alvin Kamara on the #Saints playing the first @NFL game in Paris @NFLFrance | @StadeFrance pic.twitter.com/LOEKgLUyAC
