Since owner Pat Bowlen relinquished day-to-day control of the Denver Broncos back in 2014 due to complications with Alzheimer’s disease, team CEO Joe Ellis has been in control.
That could soon change with one of Bowlen’s children, Beth Bowlen Wallace, making a power play for controlling interest of the NFL franchise.
“I love the Denver Broncos. This team has been so special to my family, to the City of Denver and to the state of Colorado. My father’s legacy is very important to me and my family,” Bowlen Wallace said in a statement Thursday, via ABC 7 in Denver. “It is my desire to lead this team with the same passion my father did and help the Broncos become Super Bowl champions again. I have the ambition, experience and drive, and my mentor in running a winning NFL franchise is the best in the business — my father.”
That’s a pretty strong stance right there for the second-eldest of Bowlen’s children. A recent graduate of University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, the 45-year-old Bowlen Wallace is obviously making it clear that a power struggle could take place here soon.
This is only magnified by the following statement the Pat Bowlen Trust made in response to her comments.
“Beth Bowlen is not the only Bowlen child who is expressing interest in becoming controlling owner. The trustees have informed Beth of their determination that she is not capable or qualified at this time.”
Ouch.
The trust itself has control over who will eventually take over for Pat Bowlen as the team’s controlling owner. It’s a three-person trust that includes the above-mentioned Joe Ellis as the Broncos’ head of day-to-day operations.
It’s now time for those in Denver to prepare for a protracted battle for ownership of the Broncos.
Pat Bowlen has owned the franchise since purchasing it from Edgar Kaiser Jr. in 1984. During his time in control, the Broncos have won three Super Bowls and seen their total value increase to $2.6 billion.