Fissures have "shaken the Broncos' ownership" after Owner Pat Bowlen's brother, John, has "acknowledged he is selling his minority ownership," according to Woody Paige of the Colorado Springs GAZETTE. The majority stake is "owned by the Bowlen Family Trust," which is run by Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis, General Counsel & Exec VP Rich Slivka, and Denver-based attorney Mary Kelly. Paige notes at least two members of the Bowlen family have "explored the option of selling the team." A source said that "one of the children would prefer to sell the team." However, another source denied the claim, saying that the team "could not be sold without the approval" of the three trustees and that they "wouldn't allow a sale, based on Pat Bowlen's wishes." The source added that the trustees "haven't been told of other members of the family, beyond John Bowlen, interested in selling out." Paige: "Will the team remain as the Bowlen Broncos for another 33 years, or for the short term?" Does VP/Football Operations & GM John Elway "figure into [a] future ownership scheme?" The trust is to "eventually identify and choose" which of Pat Bowlen's seven children will "become the next owner." Paige years ago asked Pat Bowlen who would be his successor and he said, "I really don't know, but I would guess Brittany will at some point. She is the only one who has really expressed an interest in being the owner." Brittany is currently at Duke completing an MBA, and a source said that she "intends to return to the Broncos." Broncos Dir of Facilities Patrick Bowlen is the "only one of the Bowlen children" still employed by the team and is "seen regularly at games at the stadium." Sources said that "no decision on a successor likely is forthcoming for years, and the NFL is not pushing the Broncos on the matter, especially after league owners changed their bylaws to allow family trust ownership two years ago" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 10/9).
