A few years after the death of Pat Bowlen, the trust bearing his name announced that it would initiate the process of selling the Denver Broncos on Tuesday.
Bowlen became the owner of the club in 1984. He died of Alzheimer’s disease on June 13, 2019. Five years earlier, on learning that he was suffering from the disease, he set up a trust. According to it, three leaders, including President and CEO Joe Ellis, would decide on his successor among his children or sell the team.
The trustees, however, ruled that Beth Bowlen Wallace and another child from Bowlen’s first marriage were unqualified to take the reins. Instead, they supported Brittany Bowlen, from a second marriage.
After in particular a lawsuit launched by certain family members against the administrators to challenge the validity of the trust and under the absence of an agreement, the sale process was launched.
“Selling an NFL team is a complex process involving many players and league approval procedures,” Ellis said in a statement. Despite everything, the trustees hope to be able to complete the sale before the start of the 2022 season.
“Pat used to say the Broncos belonged to the fans and ultimately it was their team,” the family said in a statement. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this incredible epic. It has been the honor of our lives.”