Saints Owner Nixes $1 Billion Offer

Randy Orton

WC's Resident Alchoholic

Saints Owner Nixes $1 Billion Offer

By Mark Maske and Leonard Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, May 25, 2005; Page D03

As the NFL team owners opened their two-day spring meeting at a downtown Washington hotel, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson said yesterday he has been offered $1 billion for his franchise but isn't interested in selling the club at this point, although he might reconsider after this season.

Benson declined to say who made the offer or where the prospective purchaser wants the team to play. Benson's attorney was quoted recently as saying his client was interested in possibly moving the Saints to Los Angeles, San Antonio or Albuquerque, and had received several offers. The $1 billion offer would surpass the $800 million Daniel Snyder paid for the Washington Redskins in 1999 as the highest purchase price for an NFL team.

"I would consider everything" after the season, Benson said. "A lot of people have tried to contact us. We've got a written offer of $1 billion. But my goal is [to keep the team in New Orleans]. We need to work out a reasonable situation. . . . I'm not going to do anything until after the season."