Saints vs. Steelers in Paris: What the NFL House closure means amid protests across the city

NFL House in Paris has closed, one day after the league shut its pop-up shop, as France prepares for another round of nationwide protests. The league cited possible accessibility issues. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said up to 70,000 officers will be deployed Saturday. The Steelers have already canceled their fan event in Bastille, and the Saints moved theirs to Sunday. Still, the league says Sunday’s game at Stade de France will go ahead. It will be the NFL’s first regular-season game in France. The Steelers are 4-2, the Saints 2-4.What the NFL House closure means for fans in ParisFor fans who flew in, the closures remove the easiest places to meet up. No reopening date has been reported. The Saints postponed their own gathering too, announcing that “Saints House has been postponed until Sunday.”The timing is awkward for the league. On Oct. 18, it said, “There’s been no disruption or impact at league sites.” On Thursday, the Steelers canceled Steelers House, a bar event in Bastille. “Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris,” the team told fans. Nicki Ewell, the NFL’s vice president for global events, said that day no league fan events had been affected. By Saturday, the league’s own pop-up shop and NFL House were closed too.Dani Watt, wife of Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, questioned the decision to play in Paris.Protests and security around Sunday’s NFL gamePolice approved one march on Saturday, from Bastille to Nation, and banned every other demonstration in Paris. Authorities closed 24 metro stations, the Louvre and the Orsay Museum. The U.S. State Department urged “Americans in Paris for the NFL game” to “exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings.”The unrest began in mid-September, when high school students protested overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and outdated facilities. Trade unions and the yellow vests movement joined over the rising cost of living. Demonstrations on Oct. 17 drew more than 500,000 people nationwide, and police arrested more than 2,000 in Paris.Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday, “We’ve made all the preparations.” He added, “Protests are not unusual in France, as you know, and that’s something that we will be aware of and make sure that the appropriate arrangements are made.” Peter O’Reilly, the league’s executive vice president for club business, said canceling or moving the game was never seriously considered. On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers president Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace to discuss the game and the NFL’s long-term future in Paris.The guest list says plenty. The league is protecting a bigger bet on France than one Sunday. Kickoff is at Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of the city.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.