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In Colorado, war was never declared on the ruling family. Instead, an internal conflict erupted: a protracted public domestic dispute involving the heirs of one of American football’s most successful franchises.
D-Day finally arrived last summer, when the Denver Broncos were sold for £3.87 billion. It had been messy and bitter. It all ended with the richest acquisition in sports history.
So for all the green, gold and bile thrown their way, the Glazers’ succession planning at Manchester United looks pretty serene.
The United sale, which peaked on Friday night, should also prove even more lucrative. There is interest from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Great Britain. The Broncos also had no shortage of suitors: NFL teams don’t come on the market very often. Among the bidders? Todd Boehly, whose consortium ended up buying Chelsea.
In the end, the NFL team was sold to a group that included a former US Secretary of State, the heirs of Walmart, the CEO of Starbucks and… Lewis Hamilton.
Before the sale of Manchester United came the story of how Lewis Hamilton, Condoleezza Rice and the king of Walmart pulled off the richest acquisition in sports history.
The Denver Broncos were sold for £3.87bn last summer after a bitter and messy period within the Bowlen family.
“Today marks a significant step on the road to an exciting new chapter in Broncos history,” then-chairman Joe Ellis said after a settlement was reached with the Walton-Penner family.
After years of turmoil, the Broncos suddenly had the deepest pockets in the game. And then this season, their first under new ownership, they finished last in the AFC West. A warning, perhaps, for those associated with Old Trafford.
Pat Bowlen first bought a majority stake in the Broncos, along with his brothers, in 1984. It is said to have cost him $78 million. He then oversaw one of the most successful tenures in NFL history: The franchise won three Super Bowls under his watch.
However, not long before his third title of the 2015 season, Bowlen turned over control to a trust. He had been battling Alzheimer’s and eventually died in 2019. His longtime wish had been for one of his seven children to take over in time.
Unfortunately, what followed were brothers at odds with each other and years of insults. Reports from across the pond detail the extraordinary timeline: A daughter declared in 2018 that she was ready to take control of the Broncos, the trustees, ‘handpicked’ by her father, let it be known that her half-sister would take over. seat of his late father. .
Before long, the ‘simmering’ family feud came to light and reached the court. In 2015, the trust fired Bowlen’s daughter. In February 2022, it was announced that the franchise was up for sale.
After initial bids, five ‘finalists’ were invited for a tour of the team’s base and a closer look at the numbers.
Interested parties included Josh Harris, the billionaire Crystal Palace shareholder recently linked with a bid for United, and the Boehly-led consortium.
The winning bidders, however, were led by America’s richest family: Rob Walton, the Walmart heir said to be worth around $60 billion, his daughter Carrie Walton Penner and her husband Greg Penner. .
A few months before the takeover, Hamilton and Serena Williams had joined a consortium led by Sir Martin Broughton to purchase Chelsea.
This season, the first under new ownership, the Denver Broncos finished last in the AFC West.
They were flanked by Mellody Hobson, chairwoman of the Starbucks board of directors, and Condoleezza Rice, who served as secretary of state under George W. Bush. Then came Hamilton. The seven-time Formula One world champion became involved with the team, with Walton stating: “he’s a champion competitor who knows what it takes to lead a winning team.”
A few months earlier, Hamilton and Serena Williams had joined a consortium led by Sir Martin Broughton to buy Chelsea. It was said that he was planning an investment of more than £10 million. Unfortunately, they lost to Boehly and Co.
Hamilton was then recruited to the Broncos by Hobson, who is black, and the Mercedes driver wanted to help increase diversity in NFL boardrooms.
‘It is a great honor and an incredible opportunity. I remember when I was nine years old, I was living on an American airbase for a short period in the UK, and that was the first time I heard about the NFL, and I used to play Madden,” he said at the time. .
“There is a real lack of black ownership (in the NFL) and I am constantly pushing for diversity. There is much work to be done.
The winning bid featured Walmart heir Rob Walton and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The Broncos also have unfinished business on the field.
They lost 12 of 17 regular season games in 2022 and haven’t made the playoffs since 2015.
“I am confident that his leadership and support will help this team achieve great things on and off the field,” Ellis stated after the lucrative acquisition. But that can take time. As United could soon find out.
PSWalton’s cousin, Ann, is married to Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke, who also controls the Los Angeles Rams (NFL), Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL) and Colorado Rapids (MLS).