RIP Tom Benson

New Orleans Saints, Pelicans owner Tom Benson passes away at age 90 

 

Tom Benson brought a degree of professionalism and business sense to the New Orleans franchise that had been missing under the previous ownership. And he had a knack for hiring quality people and leaving them alone to handle the day-to-day business of the team. He hit home run hires with Jim Finks, Jim Mora, Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton. He also deserves credit for buying and keeping the NBA franchise in New Orleans, when it was foundering.

On the other hand, a lot of Saints' fans have forgotten that if Benson had gotten his way, they'd have never come back to New Orleans after Katrina. Reportedly, Paul Tagliabue told Benson flat-out that the other owners would never agree to a move to San Antonio. And, to his credit, once he was pushed back to New Orleans, he did what it took to renovate the Superdome and brought in the management team that has made the Saints among the NFL's elite teams over the past 11 years.

 

Good post, Albert. Haven't read anything yet but do you know the status of his estate? At one time, weren't family members suing one another?

 

There was a pretty good feud between this guy's trophy wife and kids, wasn't there?

 

I believe I saw a Facebook (or maybe it was Twitter) from the Saints' official website that said ownership of both franchises passes straight to Benson's wife. I suppose it's possible that the kids may file a lawsuit contesting that, especially if the will legally confirms that, but I haven't heard of anything happening at the moment. I expect everyone will play nice at the funeral, then pull out the long knives at some later date.

BTW, only in New Orleans would fans put together an impromptu second line for the owner of the city's athletic franchises.

 

Maybe in Indianapolis for Jim Irsay. But that would be an entirely different kind of second line.

 

Benson endowed college football fields at two schools, including Tulane. He was also the richest man in Louisiana, which is curious considering all the energy business there.

 

Benson is proof that no professional franchise just can't win. You hire good people. And how many "locals" are still owners of their NFL team who didn't inherit it? Paul Allen, Benson, who else?

 

Oh, boy. Does that mean the team's gonna move to St. Louis in about 15 years?

 

Kraft and McNair come to mind.

 

More than you think. Going down the list and including the ones you and Wicked mentioned:
Steve Bisciotti, Ravens (raised just outside Baltimore)
Jerry Richardson, Panthers (North Carolina native)
Robert Wood Johnson IV, Jets (New Jersey native)
Dan Snyder, Redskins (Maryland native, lifelong Redskins fanboy)
Paul Allen, Seahawks
Tom/Gayle Benson, Saints
Robert Kraft, Patriots
Bob McNair, Texans

There's also a few who have owned their teams for so long now and become so identifiable with their teams and cities that they might as well be locals, even if they're not native to the area: Jerry Jones, Arthur Blank, Jeffrey Lurie and the Glazers.
I think the Pegulas would also fall into that category with the Bills. Even though they're from Pennsylvania, I think they're pretty invested in Buffalo and that region. You could even throw in Stan Kroenke, with an asterisk. He's from Missouri and bought the Rams when they were in St. Louis.
Considering 13 of the 32 teams have stayed within family ownership for multiple generations, that's 27 out of 32 that would probably be considered "local" ownership. That's not too bad. The Browns, Jaguars, Dolphins and Vikings are the only ones who jump out as having mercenary owners.