"Looking to the positive side, we offer one of the best home schedules in 2009. And since 30 percent of our fan base travels in for home games and spends those weekends in our hotels and restaurants, this coming schedule is not only attractive to our fans, but also to the fans from those teams like Dallas and New England who will bring even more people into our region during these times," Bensel said. "The bottom line is that we do acknowledge the state of our economy, we understand the issues facing us and our dedicated staff working with our incredibly loyal fans.

"We have shown during tough times that the Saints organization can stand up and reinvigorate a community. And during these tough times, we once again look to do just that."