Walmart heirs win bidding to purchase Broncos for $4.65 billion

The Waltons, heirs to the Walmart fortune and America’s richest family, have won the bidding to purchase the Denver Broncos in the most expensive deal for a sports franchise anywhere in the world.

The Broncos announced late Tuesday night they had entered into a sale agreement with the Walton-Penner ownership group led by Rob Walton, his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and her husband, Greg Penner.

Terms of the sale weren’t disclosed, but KUSA-TV in Denver reported it was for $4.65 billion. The price tag far surpasses the $3.1 billion sale last month of Chelsea, one of European soccer’s blue ribbon teams, to an American-led consortium fronted by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner

Todd Boehly.

Boehly reportedly was among the investors with one of the five finalists who were invited to make bids for the Broncos by Monday’s deadline.

The agreement for the Walmart-Penner group to buy the franchise from the Pat Bowlen Trust must be approved by the NFL, but that is considered a formality.

“While this purchase and sale agreement is pending approval from the NFL’s finance committee and league ownership, today marks a significant step on the path to an exciting new chapter in Broncos history,” team president and CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement.

MORE WATSON REVELATIONS

Deshaun Watson’s complex legal situation has the Cleveland Browns in limbo and unclear about the quarterback’s immediate future.

They have a better handle on Baker Mayfield’s.

The team said Wednesday that Mayfield, who lost his job when the Browns traded for and signed Watson in March to a $230 million contract, has been excused from next week’s mandatory minicamp.

“Obviously, that was a decision made between our organization, Baker and Baker’s team,” coach Kevin Stefanski said following an organized team activities practice. “Felt like that was the best decision for both sides.”

Mayfield remains on the Browns’ roster while the team tries to trade the No. 1 overall pick from 2018. Mayfield, who started 59 games over the past four seasons and led Cleveland to a playoff win in 2021, has been estranged from the team since the Browns publicly pursued Watson.

While Mayfield’s situation is headed toward a resolution, Watson’s continues to change.

Now facing 24 civil lawsuits — and potential NFL discipline — from massage therapists accusing him of sexual misconduct during sessions while he played for Houston, Watson practiced amid the release of new details contained in a report by The New York Times.

In an article published Tuesday, the Times reported Watson booked appointments for massages with 66 women over a 17-month period. The list of women includes the 24 who have filed lawsuits, with two of those being added in the past week.

Watson has denied all wrongdoing and two grand juries in Texas declined to indict him on criminal complaints.

After signing autographs for school kids and fans on the field following practice Wednesday, Watson, who has not spoken to the media since March 25, declined to comment to the AP about the latest report.

Watson said he preferred that any statements come from his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, or agent, David Mulugheta. Hardin’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Stefanski wouldn’t say if the new allegations changed the team’s stance with Watson or his standing.

ELSEWHERE Rams:

Los Angeles waived Travin Howard, the linebacker who made the game-clinching interception in their NFC Championship Game victory just over four months ago. The Rams announced the move after the final on-field workout of their offseason program. Howard was a seventh-round draft pick who only saw game action for the Rams in two of his four seasons with the club, but he had a knack for big moments. The biggest of all occurred Jan. 30 in the NFC title game when

Aaron Donald pressured San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo into a poor throw and Howard intercepted it with 1:09 to play.

Bears: Chicago coach

Matt Eberflus says the team had to cancel an offseason workout this week because they violated NFL rules by having live contact in a session last month. Eberflus said the contact that occurred was because of overzealous players and not the team’s practice structure. He said neither he nor the organization was fined, and the Bears found out Monday evening that Tuesday’s OTA session was canceled. The Bears were back on the field on Wednesday.