Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Could a Purchase of the Broncos be on the Radar of Amazon Billionaire Jeff Bezos?
Ever since now-departed owner Pat Bowlen gave up control of the Denver Broncos due to the onset of Alzheimer's disease, the subsequent family wrangles concerning the team’s future ownership have since gone legal and moved more into the court of public opinion.
With the damaging internal family battles rolling on, recent rumors surfaced about one of the richest men in the world being interested in purchasing an NFL franchise and the Broncos have been suggested as a potential target.
Jeff Bezos, through his billion-dollar Amazon empire, has decided his next project could be pro football and he has the financial muscle to make it happen in a heartbeat, should an opportunity arise, according to a CBS Sports report. Bezos is certainly a man who believes in making constant and bold acquisitions to expand his interests, even ruffling the feathers of President Donald Trump when he acquired The Washington Post newspaper a few years ago.
Connecting the dots to name the most attractive buy is fairly simplistic, with both the Seattle Seahawks and Broncos dealing with flux at ownership due to the deaths of Paul Allen and Pat Bowlen, respectively.
Both franchises are valued in the region of $2.5 billion, so for a man who liquidates $1 billion of Amazon stock every year to fund his Blue Origin space rocket enterprise, the dangling of mega quick cash could find willing suitors in a hurry.
One crucial omission in Bezos' long list of business conquests and philanthropic achievements is the fundamental question that many fans will now ask; is he really interested in football or would this be a vanity purchase rooted in his ability to buy what he wants?
Presently, there seems to be no solution to the power struggle within the Broncos as a three-person trust continues to soldier on in running the team in the name of Pat Bowlen, who passed away earlier this year not long after he'd been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame but before he could be inducted and enshrined. Any further erosion of the tricky Bowlen family dynamics could easily see the NFL arbitrators take over and even force the sale of the team.
This very real threat to the continued family ownership of the franchise is one that would most certainly be viewed with great suspicion by Broncos Country and leave a very unsavory taste on the palate of the fans and media alike.
Bowlen’s daughter, Brittany, has seemingly gained the backing of the Bowlen trust, led by CEO and Team President Joe Ellis, to join the Broncos to provide a figurehead and an element of family strength and stability. What is already being viewed by many as a family squabble over a vast inheritance could find the situation amped up considerably if Bezos were to confirm his rumored interest in buying a team.
For now, the Broncos find themselves in the financial news rather than the standings and box scores during the bye week. It’s time to refocus on the football side of the business with a road trip to take on the Minnesota Vikings coming this Sunday.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
