Relocation controversy
During the Saints' 2001 negotiations with the state of
Louisiana, rumors circulated that Benson would seek relocation if his requests — which included renovations to the Superdome, a new practice facility in suburban
Metairie, and escalating annual payments from the state to the team — could not be met. Though he never made public statements to this effect, Benson's business ties to the city — and the availability of the
Alamodome as a playing facility — made San Antonio the most common subject of speculation.
After Hurricane Katrina, many returning New Orleanians used their trashed refrigerators as temporary billboards. Graffiti critical of Tom Benson was even more common than that critical of
FEMA or the
Orleans Levee Board.
When it became clear that
Hurricane Katrina's extensive damage to New Orleans and the Superdome would make it impossible for the Saints to play there in 2005, the team temporarily relocated its operations to San Antonio and began negotiations to play home games at the Alamodome. (The Saints, after discussions with the NFL and
Louisiana State University, eventually agreed to play three games at the Alamodome and four games at LSU's
Tiger Stadium in
Baton Rouge).
At the Saints-Falcons game on
October 16, the second of two warm receptions of the Saints by the San Antonio community, mayor
Phil Hardberger stated that Benson had agreed to schedule negotiations for permanent relocation once the 2005 season is over. In reference to Benson, Hardberger said, "I'm pretty comfortable in saying he wants to be here."
[1]
On Monday,
October 17, Benson dismissed executive vice president
Arnold Fielkow, who had been a public advocate of the Saints' importance to the state of Louisiana, and who had advocated the playing of home games in Baton Rouge. According to Fielkow, Benson told him that if he'd tender his resignation and sign a confidentiality agreement, he'd be paid the remainder of his contract; when he refused, he was fired outright.
[2]
Benson's actions quickly drew outrage from Saints fans as well as local and state officials. On Wednesday,
October 19, New Orleans mayor
Ray Nagin sharply criticized Benson for acts he deemed heartless and opportunistic. Said Nagin: "For them to be openly talking to other cities about moving is disrespectful to the citizens of New Orleans, disrespectful to the Saints fans who have hung in with this franchise through 30-something years under very trying times."
[3]
Two days later, Benson publicly stated that he has made no plans to move the Saints to San Antonio. "There are many factors that will affect the future location of our team," Benson said. "That is also true of many other New Orleans-based companies that are faced with deciding their future homes." He said he would make no decisions about the team's future until the 2005 season is over.
[4]
On Wednesday,
October 26, Benson reiterated his commitment to the New Orleans area in the form of a full-page ad in newspapers around the region. The ad, a letter entitled "Tom Benson Wants to Return to New Orleans," acknowledged the negative reaction surrounding the team's recent actions, but promised that no decision has been made regarding the team's future. Said Benson in the letter, "It is too early to determine, but my desire is to return to New Orleans."
[5]
Benson's firm but noncommittal stance compares unfavorably to the statements of the
New Orleans Hornets, the city's displaced
NBA team. Though the Hornets are playing all but a handful of games this season in far-off
Oklahoma City — and have even officially changed the team's name to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets at least for the 2005-06 season — the basketball team's ownership insists they will be returning to the recovering city as soon as possible. The Hornets have also announced a community relations initiative to keep the team involved in the New Orleans area as it rebuilds.
Also, Benson's statements seem at odds with his team's reported efforts to break its agreement with the state of Louisiana. The team recently informed the state it wants to break the lease on its practice complex in
Metairie, claiming the facility, which had been commandeered by
FEMA as a base of operations following Katrina, was too damaged to occupy. However, a television report from
WWL-TV in New Orleans showed the facility to be relatively unscathed and in spotless condition.
In addition, according to a recent report from the
San Antonio Express-News, Benson plans to invoke a
force majeure clause in his agreement with the state. The clause allows him to void his lease with the Superdome without penalty if he claims an "Act of God" has prevented the team from using the stadium. Benson has a deadline of
November 29 to invoke this clause for the 2006 season.
[6] However, Superdome officials maintain that damage to the facility was not as great as was once believed, and that repairs to the stadium will allow the Saints to play at least some of their games there in 2006.
NFL Commissioner
Paul Tagliabue met with Benson and Louisiana governor
Kathleen Blanco at the Saints' first home game in Baton Rouge on
October 30. After the meeting, he stopped just short of making a formal commitment to keep the Saints in New Orleans. Said Tagliabue: "The Saints are Louisiana's team and have been since the late '60s when my predecessor
Pete Rozelle welcomed them to the league as New Orleans' team and Louisiana's team. Our focus continues to be on having the Saints in Louisiana." He dispelled rumors that have the Saints relocating to
Los Angeles. He also suggested that the Saints may need to focus on becoming more of a regional team, possibly implying a name change to the Louisiana Saints or the Gulf Coast Saints. Tagliabue will form an eight-owner advisory committee to help decide the team's future.
[7]
On October 30, 2005, Benson charged a cameraman with a raised hand while leaving
Tiger Stadium following a Saints loss to the
Miami Dolphins and lunged at the television news crew grabbing a camera and wrenching it down before being eased away by Saints security. A video also appeared to show Benson angrily responding to a heckling fan. NFL spokesman
Greg Aiello said the league would likely take no action against Benson.
[8] On November 1, 2005, an e-mail sent to Commissioner
Paul Tagliabue from Benson was leaked to the press. Benson stated in the e-mail that he feared for his life, and his family's safety upon his exit from Tiger Stadium, and would not be returning to any future games in Baton Rouge. Benson declared in the email that security in the stadium was "inadequate" and inaccurately claimed that his family "could all have been severely injured or killed." However, LSU officials were quick to point out that they had no negative comments from the Saints or the NFL concerning Tiger Stadium security. In addition, the videotape of Benson from October 30 showed him being escorted by at least one security guard, belying his e-mail claim that security was "non-existent." A day later, Saints spokesman Greg Bensel stated that Benson's e-mail was sent in frustration, and that Benson was undecided on whether he would attend any future games in Baton Rouge.
[9] Benson did not attend the following week's game at Tiger Stadium on November 6 against the
Chicago Bears.
On November 4, 2005, Benson made a deal with Louisiana governor
Kathleen Blanco that would postpone two important termination deadlines in the team's Superdome lease until after the 2006 season. Benson extended his force majeure clause period until January 2007. Presumably this will keep the Saints in New Orleans until January 2007; however, Benson can still invoke the clause any time between now and then. This buys the Saints time to explore future options with state officials without having to make a decision on the future of the franchise now. This would also allow the state to focus on more pressing needs in the recovery efforts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, while allowing the Saints more time to determine whether the region's economy could rebound enough to continue supporting the franchise.
[10]
In the midst of this controversy, several groups of investors have approached Benson with offers to buy the team and keep them in Louisiana, the most publicized group being one led by
FOX Sports analyst and former
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
Terry Bradshaw, who is a Louisiana native.
[11] However, Benson has expressed that he has no intentions of selling the team and plans to eventually hand down ownership to his granddaughter, Saints owner/executive
Rita Benson LeBlanc. Benson spoke to press following an NFL owners' meeting on November 15, at which he reiterated that the team is not for sale, but also stated that other NFL owners, along with Tagliabue, were working with him to keep the team in New Orleans.
[12]
On December 17,
ESPN reported that Benson had told Saints players that he planned to keep the Saints in San Antonio for the 2006 season and possibly beyond, and that he was willing to sue the NFL for the right to stay there. This was days after NFL Players Association director Gene Upshaw advised the Saints players not to renew their leases on their homes in San Antonio because the league planned to order them to return to their home facilities in Metairie.
[13] This was also a few days after Benson had reportedly told his staff that they could not return to their Metairie facilities because it was still being occupied by FEMA and National Guard officials and that the New Orleans area had become "unlivable." The State of Louisiana responded by sending Benson a formal letter asking him and the Saints organization to return to the facility at the end of the 2005 season. Included with the letter were statements from FEMA and the National Guard stating that they were no longer using the facility.
[14]
On December 30, two days before the Saints' final game of the 2005 season against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Benson announced at a press conference that the Saints will return to their Metairie facility at the end of the 2005 season, and that the team would play as many of their home games as possible during the 2006 season in the Louisiana Superdome, which he said could be ready as early as mid-September, 2006.
[15] On January 11, 2006, Benson and Tagliabue announced plans to play all of their 2006 home games in the Superdome. Tagliabue also stated that the NFL was committed to keeping the Saints in New Orleans beyond 2006, calling it a "multiyear effort" and not just a one-year deal. He also stated that the NFL was talking with city officials about possibly hosting another Super Bowl there in the near future, which would be the city's 10th. Benson stated that he was committed to New Orleans "forever, as long as the community commits to me."
[16]
