In the spring of 2012, the New York-based Newhouse family, owner of The Times-Picayune, announced their plans to make New Orleans the largest U.S. city without a daily newspaper. Prominent New Orleanians stepped forward, first pleading with the Newhouses to keep the newspaper a daily publication, and then imploring them to sell it to local owners who would. Tom Benson, owner of the NFL New Orleans Saints and NBA New Orleans Pelicans teams was one who offered to buy the newspaper.

NOLA.com/Times-Picayune New Orleans Saints reporter Jeff Duncan

Fast-forward three-and-a-half years. In a nearly 1,400-word Page 1 column published Dec. 27, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune New Orleans Saints reporter Jeff Duncan beseeched Benson to sell both the Saints and the Pelicans, ideally to local owners. “Your teams’ faithful fans deserve better,” Duncan wrote. “And the reality of the situation is this: The best way to ensure the long-term success of the franchises is to sell them.”

Benson wasted no time in responding. In a 667-word response released that evening, he flatly rejected the suggestion that he sell either team, and reiterated his intention to transfer ownership to his wife, Gayle, upon his death.

Benson then took aim at the hypocrisy of The Times-Picayune essentially demanding that a revered New Orleans institution sell in the interest of ensuring stable, local ownership:

“What strikes me the most is the pure irony of The Times Picayune

Tom and Gayle Benson

imploring me to sell for the benefit of the city. I recall in May 2012, reaching out to the Newhouse family imploring them to sell to me or other local ownership as they threatened to become and then became a part-time newspaper. Since then the newspaper has done nothing but lay off staff and move operations out of town.” – New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans’ owner Tom Benson

Whether the situation is ironic or hypocritical, it’s certainly amusing. For those who’ve followed the entire saga, read the statements below and guess if they’re from:

• Duncan’s Dec. 27 column 
• Letters written in 2012 by Benson and other New Orleans civic leaders imploring the Newhouses to print daily or sell
• The Newhouses’/NOLA Media Group’s responses
• Benson’s Dec. 27 response to Duncan’s column:

1. “Selling is … best for the city … This is bigger than you. It is bigger than your family. It is bigger than all of us.”
2. “I am not selling … That is not in my makeup.”
3. “And there are plenty of deep-pocketed, civic-minded local business leaders interested in forming an ownership group.”
4. “If your family does not believe in the future of this great city,  it is only fair to allow us to find someone who does.”
5. It is our hope that the owners will respect the voices and desires of the community which has been so loyal …”
6. It is my belief that New Orleans has the passion and spirit and resilience … Major league cities (and rest assured, we are one), have high-visibility entities such as NBA and NFL teams.
7. “Selling … is not part of a solution, rather it is detrimental to those goals.”
8. “It is the greatest gift you can give New Orleans. I sincerely hope you consider selling.”
9. “The owners have made it very clear that [it’s] not for sale.”

Answers:

1. Duncan’s Dec. 27 column
2. Benson’s Dec. 27 response to Duncan’s column
3. Duncan’s column
4. July 2012 letter from community leaders to the Newhouse family asking that they sell The Times-Picayune
5. Duncan’s column
6. Benson’s May 2012 letter to Steven Newhouse asking that The Times-Picayune remain a daily newspaper
7. Benson’s response to Duncan’s column
8. Duncan’s column
9. NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune statement in 2012