Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans

Attached Thumbnails · 09-29-2021, 10:11 PM

It’s a topic that seems to come up at least once a decade -- what is the future of the New Orleans Saints and will they stay in New Orleans? Gayle Benson, owner of both the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, said in an exclusive interview the teams are not going anywhere.

Benson has owned the teams since 2018 when her husband and longtime Saints owner, Tom, died. In an exclusive interview with FOX 8′s Lee Zurik and Jeff Duncan with NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, Benson laid out plans on her succession which includes the future of both sports teams and how she plans to give back to the community.

Read more from Jeff Duncan on ‘The Succession’ at nola.com

“I’m 74 years old, we’re going to all die one day, and I know that, so I am a steward,” Benson said. “God gives us gifts. And this is a gift. And we help other people with it.”

Benson’s plan includes giving back to the city and the region in the sale of the team to its next owner. That new owner will be selected by Saints President Dennis Lauscha, with one condition set by Benson -- the team must stay in New Orleans.

“Tom Benson, he came up with the idea of leaving everything to me. And then of course, I have no heirs. So my wish, and Dennis is the executor of my estate, my wish is to scatter all the goods and gifts that God has given me, and that Tom has given me to this city and community,” Benson said.

The Saints and Pelicans owner said that while she hopes she has many years left, her succession plan includes selling both teams, with Lauscha in charge of the sale of the team and giving back to the community through the Gayle and Tom Benson Foundation.

“It will be part of the foundation and then the foundation would be given money to the city on an annual basis. It’ll go on forever,” Benson said.

read more on Fox 8 Live

SmashMouth · 09-29-2021, 10:50 PM

jeanpierre and K Major like this.

jeanpierre · 09-30-2021, 07:01 AM

saintfan, iceshack149, SmashMouth and 1 others like this.

SmashMouth · 09-30-2021, 09:22 AM

So which billionaire will step up to pony up the billions it will take? The interview with Gayle gives rise to questions on renewing the lease which expires in 2025. So long as there is a legally binding document keeping the team here, we should be good to go. There is no need to be concerned that the Saints will one day move.

I was wondering though, why not give the team to the fans of New Orleans Saints, a la Green Bay...since she's giving everything away anyway upon her passing? It's all her choice, of course. Maybe there is more good to be done by having a foundation in place upon the sale of the team(s), so long as the foundation is not mismanaged.

jeanpierre · 09-30-2021, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by SmashMouth

So which billionaire will step up to pony up the billions it will take? The interview with Gayle gives rise to questions on renewing the lease which expires in 2025. So long as there is a legally binding document keeping the team here, we should be good to go. There is no need to be concerned that the Saints will one day move.

I was wondering though, why not give the team to the fans of New Orleans Saints, a la Green Bay...since she's giving everything away anyway upon her passing? It's all her choice, of course. Maybe there is more good to be done by having a foundation in place upon the sale of the team(s), so long as the foundation is not mismanaged.

Publicly-owned Saints team? That'd be a sh*t-show...

Besides having an owner/face to the team also provides a human-element of a grounding rod for criticism and change when the consumers call for market correction...

Rugby Saint II · 09-30-2021, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by SmashMouth

So which billionaire will step up to pony up the billions it will take? The interview with Gayle gives rise to questions on renewing the lease which expires in 2025. So long as there is a legally binding document keeping the team here, we should be good to go. There is no need to be concerned that the Saints will one day move.

I was wondering though, why not give the team to the fans of New Orleans Saints, a la Green Bay...since she's giving everything away anyway upon her passing? It's all her choice, of course. Maybe there is more good to be done by having a foundation in place upon the sale of the team(s), so long as the foundation is not mismanaged.

Let me count the change under my seat cushions and then I'll put in a bid. Fingers crossed. By the way, there will be free tickets for all bng members.

jeanpierre · 10-01-2021, 07:37 AM

SmashMouth · 10-01-2021, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by jeanpierre

https://twitter.com/FOX8NOLA/status/1443917193029296140

Already talking Smoothie King , aka "Baby Dome", renovations? Interesting conversations in the video. If they do build a new one, I'd choose the proposed riverfront location. They could then expand next to the SuperDome for a tailgating area of some sorts for the Saints.

SmashMouth · 10-01-2021, 07:39 PM

YouTube (Short URL)

saintfan · 10-01-2021, 08:36 PM

Maybe Uncle Terry wants in on it? Oh, the irony...

A World with No Football on FOX? Terry Bradshaw Commercial - YouTube

09-29-2021, 10:11 PM	#1
Threaded by SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 36,987 Blog Entries: 29 Rating: (0 votes - average) It’s a topic that seems to come up at least once a decade -- what is the future of the New Orleans Saints and will they stay in New Orleans? Gayle Benson, owner of both the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, said in an exclusive interview the teams are not going anywhere. Benson has owned the teams since 2018 when her husband and longtime Saints owner, Tom, died. In an exclusive interview with FOX 8′s Lee Zurik and Jeff Duncan with NOLA.com \| The Times-Picayune, Benson laid out plans on her succession which includes the future of both sports teams and how she plans to give back to the community. Read more from Jeff Duncan on ‘The Succession’ at nola.com “I’m 74 years old, we’re going to all die one day, and I know that, so I am a steward,” Benson said. “God gives us gifts. And this is a gift. And we help other people with it.” Benson’s plan includes giving back to the city and the region in the sale of the team to its next owner. That new owner will be selected by Saints President Dennis Lauscha, with one condition set by Benson -- the team must stay in New Orleans. “Tom Benson, he came up with the idea of leaving everything to me. And then of course, I have no heirs. So my wish, and Dennis is the executor of my estate, my wish is to scatter all the goods and gifts that God has given me, and that Tom has given me to this city and community,” Benson said. The Saints and Pelicans owner said that while she hopes she has many years left, her succession plan includes selling both teams, with Lauscha in charge of the sale of the team and giving back to the community through the Gayle and Tom Benson Foundation. “It will be part of the foundation and then the foundation would be given money to the city on an annual basis. It’ll go on forever,” Benson said. read more on Fox 8 Live Attached Thumbnails iceshack149, AsylumGuido, jeanpierre and 1 others like this.
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09-29-2021, 10:50 PM	#2
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 36,987 Blog Entries: 29	Re: Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans Twitter jeanpierre and K Major like this.

09-30-2021, 07:01 AM	#3
jeanpierre Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thibodaux Posts: 43,543 Blog Entries: 39	Re: Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans Twitter saintfan, iceshack149, SmashMouth and 1 others like this.

09-30-2021, 09:22 AM	#4
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 36,987 Blog Entries: 29	Re: Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans So which billionaire will step up to pony up the billions it will take? The interview with Gayle gives rise to questions on renewing the lease which expires in 2025. So long as there is a legally binding document keeping the team here, we should be good to go. There is no need to be concerned that the Saints will one day move. I was wondering though, why not give the team to the fans of New Orleans Saints, a la Green Bay...since she's giving everything away anyway upon her passing? It's all her choice, of course. Maybe there is more good to be done by having a foundation in place upon the sale of the team(s), so long as the foundation is not mismanaged. jeanpierre and Rugby Saint II like this.

09-30-2021, 10:18 AM	#5
jeanpierre Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thibodaux Posts: 43,543 Blog Entries: 39	Re: Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans Originally Posted by SmashMouth So which billionaire will step up to pony up the billions it will take? The interview with Gayle gives rise to questions on renewing the lease which expires in 2025. So long as there is a legally binding document keeping the team here, we should be good to go. There is no need to be concerned that the Saints will one day move. I was wondering though, why not give the team to the fans of New Orleans Saints, a la Green Bay...since she's giving everything away anyway upon her passing? It's all her choice, of course. Maybe there is more good to be done by having a foundation in place upon the sale of the team(s), so long as the foundation is not mismanaged. Publicly-owned Saints team? That'd be a sh*t-show... Besides having an owner/face to the team also provides a human-element of a grounding rod for criticism and change when the consumers call for market correction... saintfan, SmashMouth and Rugby Saint II like this.

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09-30-2021, 12:07 PM	#6
Rugby Saint II Bounty Money $$$ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA. Posts: 23,727	Re: Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans Originally Posted by SmashMouth So which billionaire will step up to pony up the billions it will take? The interview with Gayle gives rise to questions on renewing the lease which expires in 2025. So long as there is a legally binding document keeping the team here, we should be good to go. There is no need to be concerned that the Saints will one day move. I was wondering though, why not give the team to the fans of New Orleans Saints, a la Green Bay...since she's giving everything away anyway upon her passing? It's all her choice, of course. Maybe there is more good to be done by having a foundation in place upon the sale of the team(s), so long as the foundation is not mismanaged. Let me count the change under my seat cushions and then I'll put in a bid. Fingers crossed. By the way, there will be free tickets for all bng members. SmashMouth and jeanpierre like this.

10-01-2021, 07:37 AM	#7
jeanpierre Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thibodaux Posts: 43,543 Blog Entries: 39	Re: Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans Twitter

10-01-2021, 09:12 AM	#8
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 36,987 Blog Entries: 29	Re: Saintly Succession: Gayle Benson’s plan to give back to the community, keep Saints in New Orleans Originally Posted by jeanpierre https://twitter.com/FOX8NOLA/status/1443917193029296140 Already talking Smoothie King , aka "Baby Dome", renovations? Interesting conversations in the video. If they do build a new one, I'd choose the proposed riverfront location. They could then expand next to the SuperDome for a tailgating area of some sorts for the Saints. jeanpierre likes this.