MY HEART goes out to friends and loved ones of Tom Benson, who passed away on March 15, 2018. My biography of Mr. Benson shows him as a driven – at times brutally ambitious – businessman whose extraordinary deal-making skills brought him great wealth and many challenges. The story reveals a plain-spoken man whose inherent strength enabled him to ignore public criticism and endure a host of personal tragedies as he built a lasting legacy.
Tom Benson will be well-remembered by family, friends, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and, importantly, the people of New Orleans, who recognize that his team, the New Orleans Saints, brought them a crucial sense of joy and pride at a time when they needed it most.
Rest in peace, Mr. Benson.
—Kathy Finn
About me
Kathy Finn
THE FIRST AND ONLY TOM BENSON BIOGRAPHY
My book, Tom Benson: A Billionaire's Journey, is available in New Orleans area bookstores and online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart and other major sites. To order an AUTOGRAPHED copy directly from me, CLICK HERE!
The book is the story of the New Orleans Saints owner's relentless pursuit of wealth and the triumphs and tragedies he experienced before seeing his family come utterly unglued as he approached 90 years of age.
I am a longtime New Orleans journalist, editor and business writer, and I approached the writing of this book as any good reporter would, with a goal of telling a complete and interesting story based on facts gathered through many months of research.
Tom Benson: A Billionaire's Journey
What people are saying
New Tom Benson book illustrates controversial, tragedy-filled life of Saints owner
"This is not a fawning portrait. Finn doesn't shy from controversy, and with Benson there is plenty."
— Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune/Nola.com
Exploring the divide between 'self-made' and 'born rich'
"Finn’s exploration of Tom Benson and his journey is as insightful as it is fascinating because Finn addresses the many mysteries in Benson’s life that have inspired curiosity ..."
—Thayer Willis, author of Wealth Navigator Newsletter
Sizing up Tom Benson ... without his blessing
"Local business writer/journalist Kathy Finn has written an unauthorized biography of New Orleans Saints/Pelicans owner Tom Benson ... What intrigues me most is this book was not written with Benson’s blessing."
—Brian Allee-Walsh, SportsNola.com
Reviews by Amazon.com readers (rated 5 out of 5 stars):
"GREAT BOOK!"
"You don't have to be a football fan to enjoy this most interesting & very well written book. Like him or not, this is a fascinating rags to riches story. A shrewd, powerful & intriguing character whose life experiences devastating tragedies & soars to ultimate highs. Highly recommend!" —Sharon B.
"GREAT BOOK AND VERY GOOD READING"
"Author writes with very good skills and keeps you interested in next paragraph, I'm looking forward to Ms. Finn's next book." —Joe
"WELL DONE"
"Very well done. Learned a lot of behind the scenes stuff from a bunch of different angles. Would recommend." —Jeremy B.
"FIVE STARS"
"Kathy Finn did a wonderful job in writing this. A must buy!" —David R.
"FINALLY, THE FULL STORY"
"This is a great read! Full of revelations not only about Tom Benson and his feuding family, but about how the NFL makes football team owners rich and how owners shake down cities and states where the teams are located. About time somebody wrote this book!" —TC
"THE GOOD JOURNALIST THAT SHE IS ... "
"As Kathy says, this is an 'unauthorized biography.' And it reads that way. The good journalist that she is, Kathy starts with a very neutral title and then moves on to reveal material that is new to even some of the oldest Saints fans, some of which is positive and some of which probably hasn't made Benson very happy. His comment: No comment." —AC
Coverage of my book
New Orleans sports writer Jeff Duncan reviews Kathy's book in The Times-Picayune and Nola.com, Dec. 2, 2016.
NEW ORLEANS — The National Football League has weighed in on billionaire Tom Benson’s legal feud with his heirs over ownership of the New Orleans Saints by asking permission to argue in court for sealing sensitive financial records in a trial slated to begin Monday. Read more.Feb. 3, 2017
When editors at Forbes.com on Thursday publicized their annual valuation estimates of National Football League teams and pegged the New Orleans Saints at $1.75 billion, they didn't do Tom Benson any favors.Read more
A federal judge has given New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson and three of his heirs, who have battled with him over ownership of assets that include his two sports teams, more time to work out details of a settlement that is likely worth more than $1 billion.Read more.
Terms of an agreement over who owns the New Orleans Saints could become final within a few weeks, and while the details may remain under wraps, indications are that the $835 million valuation Tom Benson placed on his heirs' interest in the team was not a high enough price to buy them out. Read more.
A veil of secrecy cloaks the recent settlement of disputes over the estate of New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans owner Tom Benson, but public records indicate that the billionaire and his heirs were far apart in how they valued his teams and that pricey assets such as Benson's San Antonio condominium changed hands even before the battle ended.
