A group of New Orleans Saints fans is circulating a petition to change the name of Champions Square.
Champions Square, located adjacent to the Caesars Super Dome, formally opened on August 21, 2010 in recognition of the Saints winning the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl the previous season.
Supporters of the renaming effort say Champions Square does not reflect today’s values and beliefs. They suggest the area be named “Remember That One Time? Square.”
“That Super Bowl [win] is becoming fuzzier by the day as we move deeper into the [Dennis] Allen era,” said petition moderator, powdered sugar addict, and Neutral Ground News editor-in-chief Don Kiebels. “Remember That One Time? Square will more adequately signify where we are today as a people in New Orleans.”
Petition supporter Blake Thomas, who was one of the first to sign the document, said today’s Saints fans constantly talk of the Payton-Brees era so it only makes sense to name the square something that harkens back to it in a more appropriate way for modern times.
“What we name things, our features, reflects history, but also reflects values. And as history changes, so do values,” he said. “And certainly, something bearing the name ‘Champions’ in 2010 is different than in 2022. What better way to recall the past while moving forward than by occasionally saying, ‘hey, remember that one time…?'”
Saints head coach Dennis Allen, who this year has helmed one of the greatest turnarounds in franchise history after taking over from the legendary Sean Payton, has successfully created his own culture of smashed-in-the-mouth, brown nose football that clearly has taken hold in the team locker room.
Sources within the franchise say Allen has privately mentioned he would support renaming the square to better accommodate a post Payton-Brees era of Saints football and also put his own stamp on the team.
“We need to acknowledge that the time is right to move forward,” Kiebels said. “We also need to acknowledge the name of the square should not be tone deaf to the world around us. ‘Remember That One Time? Square’ will enable Saints fans to reminisce about the good old days for generations to come without feeling ashamed by an archaic word such as Champions.”
Kiebels said history won’t be erased by the renaming of the square, and said he has plans to include an explanation of the square’s former name, and it’s place in Saints history. The process for the renaming, if the petition is successful, will take time.
“This is New Orleans, we never do anything quickly. Besides, we’ve gotta see what the Pelicans do. They could solve this whole mess.”
Those interested in supporting the effort can sign here.