Ahead of France’s first NFL regular-season game in Paris, the league, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New Orleans Saints had to cancel or postpone their fan events amid ongoing protests across the country. That, however, didn’t stop Saints fans from gathering just hours before kickoff to celebrate their team’s visit to Paris.
Per WDSU, hundreds of Saints fans gathered at Harry’s New York Bar, a famous Parisian venue known for its cocktail history, including its association with the Bloody Mary. On Saturday, the bar hosted a one-day event in partnership with two New Orleans bars, “Jewel of the South” and “Cure,” bringing a taste of the Big Easy to the French capital.
The event drew Saints supporters, with New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno also stopping by to see the fans in action. However, as WDSU’s post gained traction on social media, it caught the attention of NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy, who initially thought he was watching footage from New Orleans rather than Paris.
“Scrolling through, I thought this was in NOLA,” wrote McCarthy on X, while sharing WDSU’s post.
The celebration came right after the league closed its NFL House and merchandise shop amid protest-related accessibility concerns. Meanwhile, the Steelers had canceled their fan event on Thursday, and the Saints had postponed their event for Sunday.
But Harry’s event showed that independently organized celebrations were still bringing Saints fans together in Paris, despite the disruption to some official NFL activities.
And certainly, it wasn’t the only bar where New Orleans fans gathered. On Friday, hundreds of fans traveled from different places to support the Saints. On Friday night, the fans gathered at a bar called the New Orleans Saints Cafe, located in Paris’ Latin Quarter.
The atmosphere became so energetic that the bar filled up with fans wearing the team’s merchandise, while some spilled out onto the street, chanting the team’s famous “Who Dat?” slogan. Fans also took up space in the bicycle lanes, prompting the authorities to set up barricades.
At the same time, the bar also featured a temporary shop inside. Lauren Haydel, the owner of a New Orleans boutique called Fleurty Girl, reached out to the Saints cafe owners, Teto Seghilani and Keli Coleman, as she wanted to sell some merchandise in Paris during the Saints’ visit.
The owners agreed, organizing a shop inside the bar. Haydel ordered 300 specially designed T-shirts for the occasion. And within three hours, all were sold out.
“We sold out of our entire weekend supply in three,” said Haydel. “At the end of the night people were buying sizes that were way too big just so they could get one.”
In a different location, however, the atmosphere was different. While the league had to cancel its fan event on Saturday, it got the kids involved with a flag in front of the Eiffel Tower, as Front Office Sports’ Bridget Condon shared the visuals.
“Very cool. Amazing backdrop,” wrote McCarthy while sharing Condon’s post on X.
That said, amid the ongoing protests, the Steelers will face the Saints at Stade de France on October 25. And while the league certainly had to increase security measures for the game, it’s safe to say that the fans are excited for the country’s first NFL regular-season game.