Denver Broncos Sold: Are They About to Get a Star Wars Makeover?
The Denver Broncos have reached an agreement with the former Chairman, son of founder Sam Walton and heir to the Walmart fortune to sell the team to his group. The announcement was made via the Broncos' social media channels at roughly 9:40 PM mountain time.
The group includes the 18th richest person in the world, S. Robson Walton - but you can call him Rob - in addition to his daughter Carrie Walton-Penner and son-in-law Greg Penner, who is the current Chairman of Walmart.
Additionally, in a statement released by the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group, they've also added Mellody Hobson to the group. Hobson is the Co-CEO of Ariel Investments and serves as Chairwoman for the Starbucks Corp.
She is currently listed as one of Forbes' Most Powerful 100 Women, and interestingly enough is married to Star Wars and Indiana Jones creator George Lucas. She previously served as Chairwoman of DreamWorks.
Follow all of that? In other words... it's a LOT of firepower coming soon to a football field near you.
Of course, just because Hobson is married to George Lucas, this doesn't mean he'll have anything to do with the operations of the Broncos organization, but you'd have to imagine the pre-game presentation and halftime shows might generate a little conversation around the dinner table at some point.
Instead of the flames when the Broncos take the field, maybe some orange and blue lasers shooting around the stadium, with that classic "pew pew pew" noise, perhaps?
All that being said, there's going to be a lot of money on hand and powerful people in charge of the organization going forward. How their era will compare to the last nearly 40 years of a Pat Bowlen and family led chapter in our beloved Broncos' history remains to be seen.
Their purchase, of course, is still pending approval by the NFL's finance committee and the owners of 3/4 of the teams in the league.
It's worth saying one more time as this chapter closes and we move forward as fans: Thanks to Mr. B. for all he did for the team and for the community over so many great, winning years. And to the Bowlen family, "cha-ching."