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New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and Gov. Jeff Landry have a big trip planned to New York next week. During the two-day excursion, the tandem will visit with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA commissioner Adam Silver to update them on the business affairs of the Saints and Pelicans, and to re-emphasize the state’s interest and readiness to host future Super Bowls and NBA All-Star Games. Benson arranged the meetings and invited Landry to attend them as her guest.
New Orleans Saints-Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and Gov. Jeff Landry are leaving this weekend. They have a big trip planned to New York next week. During the two-day excursion, the powerful tandem will visit with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA commissioner Adam Silver to update them on the business affairs of Saints and Pelicans and to re-emphasize the state’s interest and readiness to host future Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Game.
Question: The Saints and Pelicans are both off to historically slow starts. How would you assess their respective seasons so far? Benson: "I am obviously not happy. I am disappointed, and I would expect our fans to also be disappointed. What we established over the last two decades with the Saints was a winning organization with the expectation to compete for championships every year. That is our goal, and that has not changed. That is what I expect, and it is what our fans expect. "There is the reality that both leagues have rules to create parity and opportunity, such as the salary cap, and I certainly understand resetting that cap and rebuilding, but nevertheless, I want to win. My role is to hire the best people I can and give them the resources they need to win. It is also my job to hold them accountable if we are not meeting our goals. My expectations for the Pelicans are the same."
Kendrick Perkins: Here’s the problem with New Orleans. Great city — one of my favorite cities to live in. One, because they got great food. Okay, that’s number one. Number two — and this is what I’ll say — I understand where DeMarcus is coming from, because he played there. They’re always going to be second to the New Orleans Saints. That city is all about the Saints — from the ownership down to Mickey Loomis. They don’t give a damn about the Pelicans. It’s so bad that if you want to eat — you know how all NBA organizations now have first-class facilities with breakfast, chefs, post-practice meals? In New Orleans, you leave the Pelicans facility, and you gotta walk across the street to the Saints’ facility just to eat. And all your food is in boxes in the cafeteria.
Gayle Benson, who owns the NFL New Orleans Saints and the NBA New Orleans Pelicans, has been named the most influential woman in sports by Forbes magazine. Benson, who is also one of the world's richest people according to Forbes with a net worth of $7.9 billion, earned praise for her role in hosting Super Bowl LIX and for her leadership in globalizing the Saints brand. The Saints and Pelicans are valued at a combined $8.5 billion.
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The prevailing expectation is that Willie Green will remain Pelicans head coach, league sources told HoopsHype. Green was in the war room with the New Orleans Saints during the NFL Draft. HoopsHype previously reported on April 16th that Green was expected to be retained.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Mrs. Benson for giving me the honor and privilege to lead the Pelicans basketball operations group,” said Dumars. “As a Louisiana native, this is truly a full circle moment. I grew up as a Saints fan and the first AAU basketball team I played on at 16 years old was based in New Orleans, so this opportunity is very special to me on a personal level. I look forward to being a part of the Pelicans organization, and building a team that proudly represents our fans on the court and in our community.” Dumars added, “There is a lot of talent on this roster. My vision is to build a disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making and a no-excuses mindset. I am proud to have grown up in Louisiana and know how passionate, resilient and tough we are as a community. Our fans deserve a team that represents that spirit, and those characteristics will be the foundation of our team’s culture.”
Fletcher Mackel: For perspective, Joe Dumars has deep ties to Pelicans/Saints. I’ve reported on these connections for years. During shaky Dell Demps tenure, right after Benson ownership took over the NBA team, Dumars almost joined franchise. Now he’s in charge. I’m told he’s “our guy, one of us.”
DeMarcus Cousins on the Pelicans: Well, I can say from my experience, we were always the stepkid to the New Orleans Saints. It's an ownership group that owns both. But New Orleans is real cool. They're very prideful about their Saints. I've experienced that, I've seen that growing up in that region. So, I know how much love they have for their Saints. And being a young organization, and you're trying to compete with a team like the Saints, it's hard for the public to do. I think they're always the team like a stepkid.
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Austin Rivers on Zion Williamson: New Orleans is not a basketball city, it's a football city. Let's be clear, when you get there it's the Saints brother, when you land in right now in 2025, when you land in the New Orleans airport they have five stores with a replay video of them winning the title in 2008, it's still playing. They have banner shirts like they won last year. It's remarkable bro. It's still a thing, it'd be like landing in Boston. (…) Maybe Zion just has to get out of New Orleans, I don't even think the food type helps him either. Everything down there is buttered and greasy and gumbo and goddamn buttered biscuit and lobster and crawfish like get them out of there!
The New Orleans Pelicans and New Orleans Saints are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred on Bourbon Street early on New Year’s Day. Our hearts go out to all victims and their families during this difficult time, and express our deepest gratitude to the first responders who acted swiftly and bravely on the scene.
Tilman Fertitta told the Houston Business Journal that he is still interested in acquiring an NFL team if one becomes available. In particular, Fertitta said he would like to purchase the team he grew up rooting for: the New Orleans Saints. “I’ve always loved the New Orleans Saints, but (owner Gayle Benson) won’t sell them right now,” Fertitta said in a one-on-one interview.
Allen was a guest on Grind City Media in Memphis this week. The conversation touched on his final year in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans. Allen only played 22 games with the franchise, but he got to know everything good and bad about the organization. He spilled it all in a hilarious segment that had the rest of the crew unable to control their laughter. The segment starts with Allen calling former Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry “one of the worst coaches in the world,” and completely goes off the rails from there. Allen roasted ownership after he finished making fun of the coaching staff. He said “Whatever the Saints didn’t eat we got the leftovers.”