The Lions this morning announced Martha Ford, the widow of team Owner & Chair William Clay Ford, will take over controlling interest in the franchise "pursuant to long-established succession plans." William Clay Ford died yesterday at the age of 88. Bill Ford Jr. will remain Lions Vice Chair (Lions). In Detroit, Dave Birkett cited sources as saying that there is "no chance ownership changes hands any time soon." The NFL has a "long history of trying to keep teams within their controlling families after a majority owner has passed." Regardless of which family members "own what stake in the Lions going forward, Ford Jr. will continue to play a significant role in the organization." He "sat in on a January interview of new coach Jim Caldwell and took part in past searches" that yielded former GM Matt Millen and former coach Bobby Ross. Last fall, Ford Jr. was "appointed a member of the NFL's prestigious broadcast committee that helps negotiate media rights deals." Former Lions player Doug English said that if Ford Jr. "takes on a bigger role in the organization going forward, he expects him to mirror his father's hands-off style of management" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/10). In Detroit, Chris McCosky notes the NFL "requires lead owners to control" at least 10% of the team's stock and their relatives to control an additional 20% (DETROIT NEWS, 3/10).
