On a day both the football and basketball worlds are busy and rewarding a season’s worth of achievements comes the saddening news that one of the NFL and NBA’s most recognizable owners, Tom Benson, has died at age 90.
Saints Owner Tom Benson, 90, passed away peacefully today at Ochsner Medical Center with his wife Gayle Marie Benson at his side https://t.co/gjAIQYKdDw pic.twitter.com/BK5aS2vj0v
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) March 15, 2018
Benson’s business success began by running several automobile dealerships throughout Louisiana and Texas. In 1985, Tom Benson bought the New Orleans Saints from the previous owner, John Mecom, in a move that saved the franchise from being moved. In February of 2010, the Saints won their only Super Bowl to date by defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17.
In 2012, he again saved New Orleans sports by buying the New Orleans Pelicans at a time the team was owned by the NBA and in serious peril of being relocated.
For the past several years, Benson’s health had been the source of much speculation, and rumors about what would happen to the sports teams subject to legal disputes between Benson and his heirs. Though a settlement was ultimately reached, details haven’t been released. However, it is known that the settlement included the ownership transfer of not just the teams, but also the car dealerships and New Orleans-based TV station Benson owned.
Tom Benson and his wife, Gayle, were also known to be very generous to various charities throughout Tom’s life. Academic scholarships, millions in donations to religious organizations, and a 2015 donation to cancer research to the tune of $20 million were among the dozens of organizations and causes that received money from the Bensons. He also donated around $10 million to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the construction and upkeep of the stadium in Canton, Ohio, which is home to the NFL’s annual Hall of Fame Game that kicks off each season.
