New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson gave a wide-ranging interview to The Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan this week, and she pushed back against criticism of her two struggling franchises.
Benson was perhaps at her most adamant when she decided to address the future of the two teams and whether they are up for sale.
"Let me be clear about this: The teams are not for sale. That's in capital letters," Benson said. "I want everybody to know the teams are not for sale. I get tired of people asking me (if they're for sale). I'm going to turn 79 in January, but I'm pretty healthy. I hear that people want to talk to me about buying the team. I'm like, well, that's a waste of my time. That's not going to happen. And people need to calm down about the team moving."
There has been buzz in recent years from national observers on the prospect of the Pelicans becoming the next NBA team to relocate to a new city.
Benson's plan is to sell both the Saints and Pelicans upon her death, with the proceeds being devoted to a charitable foundation that will invest in the New Orleans community.
Dennis Lauscha, president of the Saints and Pelicans, was originally set to oversee the sale of Benson's estate, but Benson revealed in the interview that the process will now be led by "a group of committed individuals."