An interested buyer has emerged if, or when, Gayle Benson sells the Saints

An interested buyer has emerged if, or when, Gayle Benson sells the New Orleans Saints. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta wants to expand his portfolio:

This is certainly worth filing away for later. An interested buyer has emerged if, or when, Gayle Benson sells the New Orleans Saints. The NBA’s Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta wants to expand his portfolio.

“I’ve always loved the New Orleans Saints, but (Benson) won’t sell them right now,” Fertitta told the Houston Business Journal’s Chandler France. He clarified that there hadn’t been an exchange of formal offers or anything official, but he’s made his interest known.

And, he added, the Saints are not currently for sale. Benson’s will instructs team president Dennis Lauscha to take on the role as executor of the estate and overesee the sale of the team. If he’s unable to do so, it would fall on general manager Mickey Loomis and longtime executive Greg Bensel to see it through. She also stipulates that the team’s next owner must keep the team in New Orleans.

Benson, 77, has no heirs and has shown every indication that she intends to run the team for the rest of her life, which is why this succession plan has been made public. But it’s always possible she could change her mind and agree to sell it sooner. If that’s the case, we could see the Saints go for as much as $6 billion — that was the winning bid for the Washington Commanders, a contest in which Fertitta’s reported $4.4 billion offer fell short.

It wouldn’t be ideal for an out-of-state owner to be running the Saints, but so long as the team remains in New Orleans, we’ll take it. At least Fertitta has experience owning a pro sports team before with the Rockets. Just don’t expect him to be the only suitor when the Saints do eventually go up for sale. The NFL is a lucrative business and with team values continuing to skyrocket, some big names could be in the mix when that day comes.

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LeBron James opening a multi-million dollar medical facility in his hometown is a pretty fantastic flex

This is awesome, man. Shoutout to LeBron James.

I don’t know if you heard, but LeBron James has reportedly become a billionaire, according to a recent valuation from Forbes.

And while, personally, I think we could use a lot less billionaires in this world at this point, I also think it’s pretty great that the Lakers’ star’s first post-billy flex on us was dropping a state of the art, multi-million dollar medical facility in his hometown.

On Tuesday, James announced that he and the LeBron James Family Foundation were building the I Promise Health Quarters in his hometown of Akron — the same place he built the I Promise school.

James shared the news with everyone on social media Tuesday. He posted this on Instagram celebrating the news and giving more detail:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CegZcZjrYjD/

The medical center will have facilities for medical, dental, mental health and optometry services as well as an on-site pharmacy and lab. It will reportedly open in 2023 and is within walking distance of James’ school.

James was obviously pumped about the news on Twitter.

“It takes a village to help raise a kid and make a difference! Love my kids and their families.”

This is some pretty awesome news, man. Medical services are always a must and the more services available in communities around the globe, the better.

Good on LeBron James for giving the folks in his community a comprehensive resource. You absolutely love to see it.

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Lakers’ LeBron James becomes first billionaire in NBA while still playing

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is officially a billionaire and the first in the NBA while still active.

LeBron James is one of the most prominent NBA players of all time, but his reach extends well beyond the realm of basketball.

Off the court, James has been involved in numerous matters that have seen his brand prosper. The latest was the release of the anticipated “Space Jam: A New Legacy” film, which marked the first movie James starred in.

The movie topped Marvel’s Black Widow in the box office department during its first weekend, illustrating the popularity of James and the impact he has.

Earlier this year, James became a part-owner of Fenway Sports Group along with longtime business partner, Maverick Carter. James had a small stake in the English Premier League club Liverpool F.C. — run by FSG — for several years, but he turned that in for a larger role with more teams operated by FSG.

James also has partnerships with Nike, Blaze Pizza and several more. All of his earnings have combined to exceed $1 billion, via Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico:

“Since being drafted in 2003, James has earned $330 million in playing salary—net of recent escrow deductions—and another $700 million off the court from endorsements, merchandise, licensing and his media business. Current endorsement partners AT&T, Beats, Blaze Pizza, GMC, Nike, PepsiCo, Rimowa and Walmart help James earn more than $100 million annually. The latest addition is Epic Games, where Fortnite players will have access to a pair of James-themed outfits or “skins.”

James is the first player in a U.S. team sport to hit the three-comma club.”

James is the first NBA player in history to reach this milestone while still playing. Michael Jordan couldn’t hit the mark while playing, but his total earnings to this day are over $2 billion.

At 36 years old, James is at that stage where skills tend to decline for most players. But James isn’t like most players and has even said he would like to play up to four-to-seven more years with the Lakers.

Other active NBA players near the same bracket as James financially include Kevin Durant ($580 million) and Stephen Curry ($430 million).

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