After last week's outstanding performance against the Arizona Cardinals, the New Orleans Saints, which are now as healthy as they were at the start of the season, are looking good - real good - as they gear up for the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings.
After last week's outstanding performance against the Arizona Cardinals, the New Orleans Saints, which are now as healthy as they were at the start of the season, are looking good - real good - as they gear up for the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Saints are a four-point favorite, and at least one retailer is putting some real dough into their chance of victory: boxes of Official NFC Championship Locker Room hats and T-shirts are now en route to every Louisiana Academy Sports + Outdoors. The boxes will remain sealed and under lock and key at Academy Sports + Outdoors until the final whistle sounds signaling a Saints victory on Sunday. That same whistle will signal the reopening of every Academy in the state to give fans the immediate opportunity to own the Official NFC Championship Locker Room hats and Ts at the same time that the players are putting them on. In fact, Academy is "celebrating" all week long.
Already banners are hanging in the front entry of each Academy store in Louisiana detailing the store reopening. The company has extended media invites for a behind-the-scenes opportunity to photograph or film stacks of sealed boxes containing championship gear ready to be opened for New Orleans Saints fans.
On Friday at 5:45 p.m., fans dressed in Saints gear will participate in a quarterback throw contest, and the grand prize winner will get two tickets to the NFC Championship game.
And if you're wondering if all 120 Academy stores are betting on the Saints, here's your answer: "We don't do business in Minnesota," says Elise Hasbrook, the company's senior communications manager.