Beth Bowlen Wallace, daughter of team owner Pat Bowlen, seeks to take over»
Beth Bowlen Wallace, one of Broncos owner Pat Bowlen’s seven children, said Thursday she wants to become the team’s controlling owner. But the Pat Bowlen Trust responded swiftly, adamantly saying she is “not capable or qualified at this time” to run the franchise.
Bowlen Wallace made her intentions public via a story by The Athletic on Thursday morning. She answered several questions from The Denver Post later in the day.
“I am ready right now,” she told The Post. “I am also willing to move forward with a short transition and mentoring period with current Broncos leadership. But the time is right to move beyond the trustee arrangement. … My proposal also
includes long-term succession planning for all of the Bowlen children, with mentoring and a succession plan beyond me.”
But in a statement from the Pat Bowlen Trust released by the Broncos Thursday afternoon, it was clear Bowlen Wallace won’t be running the team, at least not anytime soon.
“Pat did not designate Beth as a trustee or appoint her to a leadership position, nor did he instruct the trustees to specifically mentor her,” the Bowlen Trust said. “He made it clear that his children were not automatically entitled to a role with the team and that they would have to earn that opportunity through their accomplishments, qualifications and character.
“As trustees honoring the clear wishes of Pat, we have thoroughly evaluated whether Beth is capable of succeeding her father as controlling owner. We have determined that she is not capable or qualified at this time.
“We have communicated our decision to Beth and her lawyers on multiple occasions. … Although Beth has declined our invitations to discuss her qualifications for the last two years, we will continue to proactively engage and meet with any of the Bowlen children who express a desire to earn the right to succeed their father.”
In 2014, Pat Bowlen resigned as controlling owner of the Broncos to the NFL due to his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He created a three-person trust to lead the team: Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis (who handles the team’s day-to-day operations), team counsel Rich Slivka and local attorney Mary Kelly.
Pat Bowlen has seven children from two marriages spanning in age from 2047. Bowlen Wallace, 47, is one of two daughters from Pat’s first marriage, to Sally Parker. He later had five children with his second wife, Annabel.
Asked why she went public with her desire to own the team at this time, Bowlen Wallace said: “I wanted to announce this in the off-season, so it would not distract from the team’s performance on the field. But I also received a lot of inquiries from fans and I wanted to be responsive to them, because they are a bit anxious about the future of our great football team.”
Bowlen Wallace said she presented the trustees her proposed succession plan “approximately a month ago. … We did receive a response and we are in communication with the trustees.”
In a statement, Ellis said: “As a trustee and someone Pat designated to oversee his team, I have an enormous responsibility to carefully administer his succession plan and make decisions in the best interests of the Broncos. We will continue to follow Pat’s blueprint.”
In February 2015, the trustees provided Annabel Bowlen and the children criteria outlining the requirements to become controlling owner. It included five years of “senior management experience,” highlevel education and leadership and integrity qualifications. The trustees said one of the children would not be guaranteed the controlling owner post even if they believed they checked all of the boxes.
Bowlen Wallace cited her law degree from the University of Denver, experience working for the Broncos and philanthropic efforts as examples of her being qualified to run the franchise her father bought in 1984.
By late Thursday afternoon, three other Bowlen family members had voiced their support of Beth.
Bill Bowlen, Pat’s brother, said: “I fully support my niece’s bid. … She is fully capable and qualified to run and manage the Broncos as she has met all the requirements established to lead the team. … I am thrilled that Beth wants leadership of this franchise.”
Broncos minority owners John (Pat’s brother) and Kerry (John’s wife) also released a statement in support of Beth. Their joint statement, in part, read: “As minority owners of the team, we would be proud and thrilled to have (Beth) as the leader of this franchise. There is strong support as well from fans who favor her bid for controlling ownership.”
Amie Bowlen Klemmer, Pat’s oldest child, said Beth is “qualified and ready,” to run the team.
“She is in the best position to carry out his vision,” Bowlen Klemmer said. “Based on my conversations with him, I know my father would have endorsed Beth and this plan.”
Bowlen Wallace told The Post she is “100 percent optimistic,” her public pronouncement will create more dialogue with the Trust.