Saints quarterback Drew Brees was spotted chatting with Saints owner Tom Benson on the sideline during Thursday’s training camp practice, and when Brees was asked what they discussed, he said it was about saving the local newspaper.
“Yeah, we were actually talking about the Times-Picayune. We want to make sure the Times-Picayune stays seven days a week here. Can we get that done? Huh?” Brees said.
Brees may have just been joking with the Times-Picayune reporter who asked the question, but Benson is serious that he wants to buy the paper. Benson wrote a letter to Steven Newhouse, the owner of the paper who has announced plans to cut its publication to three days a week, saying that Benson wants to buy the paper from him and keep its daily publishing schedule.
“I would welcome the opportunity to speak to you about my interest in purchasing the Times-Picayune, with others. If this is something that is an option, we can initiate this at your earliest convenience,” Benson wrote.
Newhouse, however, says the paper is not for sale. So after writing a lot of big checks this year, Benson won’t be writing another for the Times-Picayune.
