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Report: Tom Benson's wife, granddaughter fought before Saints-Falcons game

Derick E. Hingle / USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson's succession plan continues to escalate into an ugly feud. 

Benson's granddaughter Rita Benson LeBlanc was the original heir to the two franchises upon her grandfather's death, but ownership was transferred to Benson's wife, Gayle on Jan. 21, fueling a contentious legal battle. 

LeBlanc and Gayle Benson reportedly engaged in a nasty confrontation, where LeBlanc shook Benson repeatedly in a suite in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, prior to a Dec. 21 game between the Saints and Atlanta Falcons, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune

"I remember the pyrotechnics going off in the stadium (during pregame player introductions) and thinking fireworks were also going off in the suite," Duncan's source said. 

Since the change in succession plan, both parties have entered a legal battle with Benson's daughter, Renee, suing for control of the teams on Jan. 22. Renee is LeBlanc's mother. 

Benson has been ordered to undergo mental and physical evaluations to assess his competency, as it relates to his succession plan. 

The status of the two franchise's ownership remains up in the air and the alleged fight between Benson's wife and granddaughter is the latest in a series of contentious developments between the two sides. 

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