After the death of longtime Saints owner Tom Benson, his widow is promising to continue running the team the way he did.
“As is standard NFL practice, my husband provided a report to the Commissioner summarizing the Ownership Succession Plan of the New Orleans Saints,” Benson wrote in a letter to her fellow owners, which was passed along to PFT. “For clarity, my husband’s plan and desire was for me to have full voting control of the Saints and to serve as Controlling Owner of the team per NFL rules. I understood this and want to reassure you that I am fully prepared to assume this role. Moving forward, I too, will provide the Commissioner my very own Ownership Succession Plan of the New Orleans Saints. Please rest assured, I will own and operate this franchise until my death and do so with the same drive and focus towards success that my husband displayed throughout his life.”
Gayle Benson says the Saints are in good shape financially and expect to continue to thrive in the Superdome, which they have sold out for every game since the team returned to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
The Benson family went through some turmoil when Tom Benson changed his will keep his daughter and grandchildren from a previous marriage from taking over the team. But Gayle Benson says that turmoil is in the past, and she’s confident that the Saints are well-positioned for the future.
