Printable View
Very influential owner who had one of the great long term runs of NFL success
During Bowlen’s tenure, the Broncos won 333 regular season games, third in the league behind New England (346) and Pittsburgh (334) and recorded a .598 winning percentage, fifth-best in American pro sports.
Had the good fortune to buy the Broncos in the mid-80s when franchise values were about to go through the roof
They sold out all 300 home games during Bowlen’s ownership and the franchise he and his family purchased for approximately $78 million is now valued at $2.6 billion, according to Forbes.
Which certainly was helped by Bowlen, along with Jerry Jones, dumping CBS in the mid-90s and opening up the era of mega $$$ TV contracts
Leading Bowlen’s league-level achievements was chairing the broadcast committee. In 1993, he and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones negotiated a record television deal that put the NFL on track to be the most lucrative sports product in American television. On the cusp of an agreement, Bowlen and Jones played hardball with the networks to double their rights offer to $400 million....
Bowlen’s greatest television achievement, and maybe his greatest league-level accomplishment, was working with Ebersol on an NBC/Sunday night package that included a schedule superior to Monday night and introduced flexible scheduling, allowing the network to swap out its regularly-scheduled game for a higher-profile matchup late in the season
But he could not control his children from two marriages fighting over who gets to run the team
It is believed Bowlen’s seven children will receive an equal stake in the franchise, but only one can be appointed controlling owner. The trustees could also decide it is in the best interest of the team and the family to sell the franchise...
In October 2018, Bill Bowlen filed a lawsuit asking a judge to remove the trustees from power “due to their failure to uphold Pat Bowlen’s wishes and act in the best interest of Pat Bowlen, his family and the Broncos.” A month later, the trustees filed a stay in court and asked the NFL to serve as arbitrator
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/06/14/pat-bowlen-dies/
RIP. He seemed like a good guy.