Before he stepped down from day-to-day operations in 2014 to continue his battle with Alzheimer’s disease, late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen set up a trust in his name and made them responsible for passing on ownership of the team to one of his children when a qualified candidate emerged.
The trust is led by Joe Ellis, Rick Slivka and Mary Kelly. Beth Bowlen, one of Pat’s daughters, has said she is ready to take controlling ownership of the team but the trust has deemed her unqualified. That led Bill Bowen, Pat’s brother, to file a lawsuit against the trust, attempting to have them removed from power.
His lawsuit has been “dismissed in its entirety,” KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis first reported Thursday. The news has since been confirmed by multiple media outlets. This development clears the way for the trust to remain in power until they select a candidate to become the next owner.
Brittany Bowlen, one of Pat’s daughters, is the most likely candidate of Bowlen’s seven children to become the next owner. Brittany is expected to begin working for the team again later this year in an executive role and she will likely be groomed for future ownership.
