Editor's Note: This story originally aired on Friday, Oct. 23, ahead of the New Orleans Saints' game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris, France.
The New Orleans Saints will play in the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Paris, France, Sunday (Oct. 25).
The Gulf States Newsroom’s Joseph King caught up with a family of devout Saints fans before they traveled across the Atlantic to cheer for their team.
The following transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.
JOSEPH KING, BYLINE:
Kathleen Roevens and her family love anything and everything New Orleans Saints. So in February, when the NFL announced the Saints were playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris this season, Kathleen’s daughter Abby said…
ABBY ROEVENS: I'm going. I'm going. We should all go. Let's all go. I don't care if y'all come with me or not, I'm going.
KING: Abby was born into her Saints fandom. Her favorite player was Taysom Hill, only after Drew Brees, of course. She even designed her own T-shirt dedicated to him.
ABBY ROEVENS: I made a T-shirt that says Taysom versus everybody. And then on the back, I had like X's and O's and like a play drawn out. But instead of the O's, it was Taysom Hill's face in each of the Os.
KING: Taysom Hill was known for having played multiple positions on the field.
ABBY ROEVENS: Taysom Hill, QB slash tight end slash full back slash wide receiver slash running back slash punt returner slash punt blocker — like he literally did everything.
KING: Hill is no longer with the Saints. But Abby’s effort in that shirt is the personification of her family’s love for the team. So her mother, Kathleen, began planning a family trip centered around the game in Paris.
KATHLEEN ROEVENS: Oh my goodness, I have a whole, so very proud of myself because I'm not very tech savvy. I made a whole Google Sheet. I have an itinerary. I have lodging. I have everything on it.
KING: From watching a women’s soccer match in Lyon to having Mass at Notre Dame, biking through Versailles, and the obvious French attractions, like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, the Roevens have a packed schedule before kickoff Sunday.
This family has been Saints season ticket holders since the team’s inception in 1966. It began with Kathleen’s grandparents and her two uncles. After her uncles died, Kathleen and her husband carried the torch in 2005.
Since then, they’ve seen it all — from the highs of the Super Bowl in 2010 and the playoff runs that came after, to the struggles of the past few seasons. Including this year, where the team marches in at two-and-four.
KATHLEEN ROEVENS: We've kind of gone through a lot of lean years, and it's really been fun since they've been good. It's been fun. So, hopefully. They'll do better this year. (laughs) They have some work to do.
KING: The Roevens hope to see the Saints come away with the win in Paris.
But there's a bit of uncertainty surrounding the game due to civil unrest in Paris recently…
<<Tape of protest in Paris>>
Over the last few weeks, anti-government protests have taken place all over France regarding the rising cost of living and poor school conditions.
Eleanor Beardsley is the France correspondent for NPR. She says the French are known for their protest culture, but the violence that took place recently is something new.
ELEANOR BEARDSLEY: Last Saturday was like something I've never seen, and I've been here 23 years, and it got out of hand really quickly.
KING: Beardsley says the presidential election is approaching in France and there’s a lot of anger towards President Emmanuel Macron. That, combined with the student-led movement, created a perfect cocktail for the chaos. And as in many protests, some used the demonstration to loot and destroy stores.
In an effort to suppress the riots, the French government has implemented a curfew.
In a statement, the NFL says it is working closely with the local authorities in Paris, and that the game will go on as scheduled for Sunday.
On Thursday (Oct. 22), the Steelers canceled an event for fans scheduled for this weekend due to the civil unrest.
The Roevens say there’s been a police presence in Paris and they feel safe ahead of the Saints game.
For the Gulf States Newsroom, I’m Joseph King.
This story was produced by the Gulf States Newsroom, a collaboration between Mississippi Public Broadcasting, WBHM in Alabama, WWNO and WRKF in Louisiana and NPR.
