Aaron Rodgers says Paris regular-season game is safe despite PSG cancellation
Aaron Rodgers said on Friday that the NFL would have cancelled its first regular-season game in Paris if the situation were unsafe, and he expressed confidence the Steelers’ match with the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis will go ahead on Sunday.
France has seen large-scale urban unrest in recent days, with authorities describing last weekend as some of the worst in years and President Emmanuel Macron tightening restrictions on protests on Thursday amid concern that demonstrations planned for Saturday could turn violent. The disturbances prompted the postponement of Sunday’s Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon to Monday night at the request of local police, who cited security concerns and the strain on police resources. Organisers and commentators say the protests have been driven by anger over the rising cost of living, deteriorating conditions in public schools and teacher shortages, with some estimates putting the number of marchers last weekend at 800,000.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Rodgers said: "I definitely think that the NFL is alert to what’s going on." He added, "This game means a lot to the NFL. If it was unsafe, then I’m sure we wouldn’t be here." The league has said preparations for the fixture are continuing as scheduled and released a statement that read: "We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters," adding there had been "no disruption or impact at league sites".
Organisers have curtailed several ancillary events: the Steelers informed fans that a "Steelers House" fan event in the Bastille neighbourhood would not go ahead, the NFL said its pop-up store in Paris will be closed on Saturday, and it announced: "NFL Experience Paris presented by Wilson is closed for the rest of today due to adverse weather. Please do not attend the site." The US state department issued a security alert on Thursday night advising citizens to "avoid demonstrations and areas of unrest" and warning that "Americans in Paris for the NFL game on Sunday, October 25 should also exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings."
Several fans in Paris described mixed impressions of the situation. Fred Zelt, a 67-year-old Steelers fan at the NFL House, said: "We saw [last Saturday] a march of probably several hundred students. It was completely peaceful." He added: "Every place we’ve been seemed calm and normal to us. We now see shops boarding up windows. "There are lots of people out. People are having a good time and we’re not overly worried." Fabian Bauer, a 28-year-old Saints fan who travelled from Germany with his parents, said: "We had a long discussion about whether we should come here or not." He added: "In the end, I informed myself, and most of the fans said it’s likely to be safe, especially on Sunday. "It’s not as bad as one might have thought. The shop windows are a bit damaged." Monika Allen, a 56-year-old Steelers fan, was on her way to the shop on Friday to buy "more Steelers clothes", saying she "didn’t prepare for the cold and the wind".
Weather and safety decisions have also affected team operations. Storm Austen prompted Météo-France to issue orange alerts for much of the country’s north-west, including the Paris region, and the Steelers, who landed in France on Friday morning, cancelled a planned practice at the Stade de France because of bad weather and moved their press conference to their hotel. The Saints, who arrived in France on Monday, have been practising in Versailles; in a statement they said: "Due to elevated wind and rain conditions, in accordance with local authorities, there will not be a media viewing portion during today’s Saints practice." The NFL also cancelled a fan event on Friday.
The match remains scheduled for Sunday at the Stade de France, with new demonstrations planned for Saturday and many American and other foreign visitors having travelled to France to attend the game.