Teams/Southwest Division
New Orleans Pelicans
Gayle Benson has been sole owner of the Pelicans since 15 March 2018, when she inherited the team from her husband Tom Benson. He paid the NBA $338M in 2012; Forbes now values the team at $4.1B, and it has had four owners, the league among them.
Every owner since the start
- 2018 to todayGayle Benson
Inherited the team when Tom Benson died on 15 March 2018. Nothing was paid.
- 2012-2018Tom Benson
Bought the whole team from the NBA for $338M on 13 April 2012.
- 2010-2012The NBA (league-run)
Bought the team from George Shinn and Gary Chouest in December 2010 for an estimated $300M.
- 1987-2010George Shinn
Founded the club in Charlotte for a $32.5M expansion fee and moved it to New Orleans in 2002. He sold 25% to Gary Chouest in 2007 for about $62M.
Value over time
- 12010 NBA buys team, about $300M
- 22012 Tom Benson buys, $338M
- 32018 Gayle Benson inherits
Show the numbers
| Year | Forbes value |
|---|---|
| 1998 | $124M |
| 1999 | $136M |
| 2000 | $144M |
| 2002 | $135M |
| 2003 | $172M |
| 2004 | $225M |
| 2005 | $225M |
| 2007 | $272M |
| 2008 | $285M |
| 2009 | $267M |
| 2011 | $280M |
| 2012 | $285M |
| 2013 | $340M |
| 2014 | $420M |
| 2015 | $650M |
| 2016 | $650M |
| 2017 | $750M |
| 2018 | $1B |
| 2019 | $1.22B |
| 2020 | $1.35B |
| 2021 | $1.52B |
| 2022 | $1.6B |
| 2023 | $2.55B |
| 2024 | $3.05B |
| 2025 | $3.55B |
| 2026 | $4.1B |
| Year | Sale | Team valued at |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Gary Chouest buys 25% from George Shinn for about $62M (whole-team value computed from price and stake) (computed from price and stake) | $248M |
| 2010 | The NBA buys the team from George Shinn and Gary Chouest for an estimated $300M | $300M |
| 2012 | Tom Benson buys the team from the NBA for $338M | $338M |
Forbes valued the club at $124M in 1998 and $4.1B in 2026, about 33 times as much. The biggest one-year jump was $950M, from $1.6B in 2022 to $2.55B in 2023, a 59% rise. The 1998-2002 figures are for the original Charlotte Hornets, the club that moved to New Orleans in 2002.
How the current owner bought it
- Shinn was expected to sell his remaining shares to Chouest for about $200M in 2010. That deal did not close, and the NBA bought the club that December.
- Tom Benson bought the team from the league on 13 April 2012 for $338M. It took the Pelicans name from the 2013-14 season.
- At the time of the 2015-16 family litigation he held 5% of the Pelicans, with all the votes. Family trusts held the other 95% without votes.
- In January 2015 he named Gayle his heir in place of his daughter and grandchildren. They sued; a court ruled for him, and a confidential settlement followed.
- He died on 15 March 2018 and she became sole owner. The other heirs let a March 2023 deadline to contest the will pass.
Partners in the team
None are known: Gayle Benson is listed as sole owner, and no minority stake has been sold since 2012.
How the team is run
- Benson delegates. Dennis Lauscha is president of both her teams, and Joe Dumars has run basketball operations since 2025.
- Under her 2021 succession plan both teams will be sold after her death to buyers who keep them in New Orleans. The proceeds go to charity.
- She said on 13 November 2025 that the teams are not for sale. Commentators have named the Pelicans as a candidate to move, and she rejected that.
- The lease at Smoothie King Center runs through June 2029. In November 2025 she described talks with Governor Jeff Landry on a new lease.
- A 2025 master plan would add about 2,155 lower-bowl seats. No cost is public, and state lawmakers would have to approve any deal.
- Forbes put team debt at 6% of value in 2025. No NBA fine was found.
Quick answers
Who owns the New Orleans Pelicans?
Gayle Benson has been sole owner of the Pelicans since 15 March 2018, when she inherited the team from her husband Tom Benson.
How much are the New Orleans Pelicans worth?
Forbes values the New Orleans Pelicans at $4.1B in its October 2026 list, up 15% from $3.55B a year earlier. That makes them the 29th most valuable of the 30 teams; in 1998 Forbes put the team at $124M.
How much did the current owner pay for the Pelicans?
$338M (Gayle Benson, 2012; inherited 2018). Forbes now values the team at about 12 times that price.
Who owned the New Orleans Pelicans before the current owner?
Tom Benson (2012-2018). Bought the whole team from the NBA for $338M on 13 April 2012.
Open questions
- Whether a new Smoothie King Center lease has been signed was not found.
- When the lease was extended from 2024 to June 2029 was not found.
- Any terms attached to the 2012 purchase, such as lease or arena commitments, were not found.
- The date and vote of the NBA approval for the 2002 move were not found.