Today's Digital Newspaper

The Gazette

Weather Block Here



Joe Ellis: Timeline of Broncos ownership will be determined after 2021 season

ENGLEWOOD — Broncos President and CEO Joe Ellis made one thing clear Tuesday: the Broncos are not for sale — yet. 

In a pre-training camp press conference, Ellis addressed the Broncos’ ownership situation, tangled since the death of owner Pat Bowlen in June 2019. Most recently, the lawsuit to determine the future ownership of the team between Bowlen’s two eldest daughters — Amie Klemmer and Beth Bowlen Wallace — and his trust, which includes Ellis, was dismissed July 14. It’s unclear whether the two sides agreed to a settlement. 

While Ellis wouldn’t answer specific questions regarding the case because of legal confidentiality, he did answer questions about when the Broncos’ ownership situation might be resolved. Ellis explained the Broncos “are committed to a timely, responsible and orderly determination of ownership” after the 2021 season, in which he intends to steps down as the controlling owner. 

“Until the season’s over, you’re not going to hear a whole lot about the future ownership of the team,” Ellis said. “We’ll have a transition — yours truly won’t be the controlling owner by some time in the spring or early summer. I can’t put a tight deadline on it, but believe me, we need to get it resolved.” 

Ellis said there are a few options for what will happen to the team by 2022. It can stay in the family with Brittany Bowlen, one of Bowlen’s seven children who has publicly expressed interest in controlling the team. The team could also be sold. 

The preferred outcome of the trustees puts the team in the hands of Brittany Bowlen, the team’s vice president of strategic initiatives. For that to happen, Ellis explained, all members of the Bowlen family must agree to the deal — something that won’t be easy to do, as Klemmer and Wallace want the team sold. 

Sign Up For Free: Mile High 5

Your daily report on everything sports in Colorado – covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and columns from Woody Paige and Paul Klee.

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

function subscribeSuccess() {
var nsltrform = document.querySelector(“#nsltr”);
var nsltrSuccess = document.querySelector(“#successnsltr”);

nsltrform.classList.add(“hideblock”);
nsltrSuccess.classList.remove(“hideblock”);
}

function validateEmail(email) {
return String(email)
.toLowerCase()
.match(
/^(([^()[]\.,;:s@”]+(.[^()[]\.,;:s@”]+)*)|(“.+”))@(([[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}])|(([a-zA-Z-0-9]+.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/
);
}

function validateEmailAddress() {
const result = document.querySelector(“#result”);
const email = document.querySelector(“#email”).value;

result.innerText = “”;

if(validateEmail(email)) {
newsletterSubscribe(email);
} else {
result.innerText = ‘The email entered: ‘ + email + ‘ is not valid :(‘;
result.style.color = “red”;
}
return false;
}

function newsletterSubscribe(email) {
fetch(“https://services.gazette.com/mg2-newsletters.php?action=subscribe&site=denvergazette.com&emailPreferenceId=59&email=” + email, {
method: “POST”
}).then(res => {
console.log(“SUCCESSFUL POST”);
subscribeSuccess();
});

}

#nsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: #2076b3;

background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;

}

#nsltr-header {
color: #fff4f4;
}
#nsltr-body {
text-align: center;
color: #ffffff;
}
#nsltr-button {
margin-top: 5px;
}
#successnsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: green;
text-align: center;
color: white;
}

#successnsltr a {
color: white;
}

.hideblock {
display:none;
}

h6 a {
color: black;
text-decoration: none;
padding: 5px;
background-color: #bbccdd;
font-weight: 600;
}

@media only screen and (min-width: 768px) {
#nsltr {
background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;
}
}

“In some form, her being able to run the team is in consideration, for sure,” Ellis said. “It will require some conditions from beneficiaries and others, perhaps. If she is going to run it, that conclusion will be made sometime next year as well. … If Brittany is going to move forward, there’s going to have to be an agreement among all the family members in some form that she can do that.

“I think she’s got the potential to do this but we’ll have to see how it plays out.” 

It’s clear all parties are ready to move forward, including the fan base. Ellis said he understands that and he as well is ready to move on. 

“I think it’s needed. I think it’s needed for the organization, I think it’s needed for the family, I think it’s needed for the fans. Not that it matters, but I think it’s needed for me, too.

“We’ll see what happens.” 

4fc99f94-1d08-5e51-9923-2d32c05bc82e

View Original Article | Split View

PREV

PREVIOUS

Meet the Denver Broncos’ community development 'dream team,' which is regarded as one of the best

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Hanging on Allie Engelken’s office wall is a sign that reads “I’d rather try and fail, rather than fail to try.” This is often the rallying cry of the Broncos’ community development team, which Engelken oversees. It’s made of only four people: Engelken, executive director; […]

NEXT

NEXT UP

Von Miller 'at peace' heading into 11th NFL season, hopes to play 5-7 more years

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save ENGLEWOOD — Von Miller is “at peace” in Denver. The 32-year-old outside linebacker who’s entering his 11th NFL season made sure to let everyone he’s “at peace” during his pre-training camp press conference Tuesday. He said the two-worded phrase 15 times in his 13-minute interview. […]