After Saints owner Tom Benson changed his will to leave the team and the NBA’s Pelicans to his current wife Gayle, his daughter and grandchildren filed a lawsuit alleging that the 87-year-old was mentally incompetent to make that decision.
Benson responded by saying that they were not capable of handling the teams and other business interests involved in his estate. The trial on the matter concluded last week and Judge Kern Reese ruled in Benson’s favor on Thursday.
The ruling means that Benson remains in control of both teams and there shouldn’t be any change to the operations of either franchise. That should make Saints coach Sean Payton a happy man.
“He’s been a tremendous owner,” Payton said when asked about the case, via the New Orleans Advocate. “With regards to that, you’d have to really be on top of every specific argument. For me as a head coach, getting the job in ’06, which was my first year, I’ve said this before. He’s been a fantastic owner. Very supportive. I can’t think of one time that’s been really frustrated you. He’s been probably the main reason we were able to win a Super Bowl championship.”
There could be an appeal of Judge Reese’s decision, although it is not clear at this point whether one will be filed.
