John W. Mecom Jr.
John W. Mecom Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1940 |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Known for | Former owner of the New Orleans Saints |
John W. Mecom Jr. (born 1940) serves as chairman of the John W. Mecom company and is the former proprietor of the New Orleans Saints NFL franchise.
Early life
As the son of Texas oil magnate John W. Mecom Sr., Mecom pursued his education at the University of Oklahoma. He currently heads the John W. Mecom company, an enterprise established by his father that specializes in real estate along with oil and gas sectors.
Mecom expanded his personal business interests into oil, gas, and real estate, while also venturing into professional athletics. In the early 1960s, he founded Mecom Racing, a motorsport team based in the United States that featured prominent drivers such as Roger Penske, Pedro Rodriguez, AJ Foyt, and Jackie Stewart. A highlight for the team was Graham Hill’s victory at the 1966 Indianapolis 500 while competing under Mecom Racing.
Sports ownership
The National Football League granted an expansion franchise to New Orleans on November 1, 1966, set to begin play in 1967. Out of six contenders—including business leaders and political figures—Mecom secured ownership with a bid of $8.5 million, becoming the youngest owner in NFL history at that time. He selected the name New Orleans Saints for the team and chose black and gold as their colors after conducting tests at Tulane Stadium, their original home before moving to the Superdome upon its completion in 1975.
Throughout his 18-year tenure as owner, the Saints compiled a record of 78–176–5, seldom surpassing seven wins in any given season. Due to limited experience in managing a professional sports franchise, Mecom frequently sought advice from various sources, which often complicated operational decisions. The 1980 season was particularly difficult, beginning with a streak of 14 losses that led to fan demonstrations including wearing "Aints" paper bags and incidents where eggs were thrown at Mecom’s home.
In late 1984, Mecom decided to put the team on the market amid challenges renegotiating the stadium lease with Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards. Potential relocation options considered included Indianapolis, Phoenix, and Jacksonville; notably, Jacksonville proposed more than $110 million for a minority interest in the franchise. Despite these offers, Mecom opted against relocating the team. Attempts to partner with investors such as Abram Nicholas Pritzker fell through due to disagreements over ownership arrangements.
On May 31, 1985, encouraged by Governor Edwards, Mecom sold the Saints to New Orleans entrepreneur Tom Benson for $64 million.
Beginning in 2007, Mecom battled cancer while living in Houston. Reflecting on his period as owner during the Saints’ eventual Super Bowl success more than twenty years later, he characterized his experience as both difficult and fulfilling, emphasizing that it provided him with important life lessons.