Saints and Pelicans Owner Tom Benson responded to a New Orleans Times-Picayune column on Sunday that called for him to sell his teams, stating that it "'is not in my makeup' to retire or step aside, and he reaffirmed his intentions to pass the teams on to his wife, Gayle, in the event of his death," according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Benson in a statement said, "I rarely respond to preposterous media reports as I understand them to be part of our business. However, I respond tonight only for the benefit of our fans. .. They deserve better than to read this scurrilous story." Benson said that the column, written by Jeff Duncan, was "fraught with inaccuracies." Benson: "My plan to transfer complete control to Gayle is unassailable and designed to provide the long term stability and resources that all franchises need to produce consistently winning teams." Benson also "took a direct shot at The Times-Picayune," calling the paper imploring him to sell for the benefit of the city "pure irony." Benson said of the Times-Picayune: "I recall in May, 2012, reaching out to the Newhouse family imploring them to sell to me or other local ownership as they threatened to become and then became a part-time newspaper. Since then the newspaper has done nothing but layoff staff and move operations out of town" (ESPN.com, 12/27).
WHAT WAS WRITTEN: Duncan's column on Sunday was written as a letter to Benson suggesting a New Year's resolution that "would bring an end to the ugly legal fight between you and your estranged heirs: Sell the Saints and the Pelicans." Duncan wrote, "I realize it is presumptuous on my part, but I think everyone would agree it is the only way to resolve this unfortunate, untenable situation." Selling your "beloved sports franchises is in the best interests of all involved: you, your estranged heirs, the City of New Orleans, the NFL and NBA." The new plan to "cede control to your wife," and a BOD, "while well intentioned, has created a whole new set of problems." The "legal imbroglio" for control of the teams "could take years to settle and cause irreparable damage to the clubs in the process." But surely Benson the "self-made billionaire knows that a board of directors led by a neophyte owner is not a winning formula." Better than anyone, Benson knows the "importance of organizational leadership," that a corporate chain of command "demands accountability." Benson's organizations "have lost momentum." Duncan added, "I am sure the NFL would love to have the Mannings involved in some way" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 12/27).
