Monday was the deadline for bids to buy the Denver Broncos from the late Pat Bowlen’s trust. And among the many big players in the financial world looking to buy the team, one famous family emerged victorious.
On Tuesday, the Denver Broncos announced that an ownership group led by Rob Walton of the Walton-Penner family have agreed to purchase the team. The Walton-Penner family own global retail titan Walmart.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Walton and his family paid a mint to get their hands on the team. He reported that they’re paying $4.65 billion to add the Broncos to their portfolio.
It’s the highest amount ever paid for an American sports team. Only the recent $5.4 billion sale of England’s Chelsea FC sold for more.
It should come as no surprise that the move makes Rob Walton the wealthiest owner in the NFL. With a net worth of over $60 billion, he has more money than Jerry Jones, David Tepper, Stan Kroenke and Robert Kraft combined.
The Broncos were previously owned by the late Pat Bowlen, who also served as CEO of the team from 1984 to 2014. Under his leadership, the Broncos won all three of their Super Bowls and reached several more with John Elway and Peyton Manning.
Bowlen passed away in 2019 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame that year.
It’s a new era in Denver Broncos football.