Potential Broncos buyer could make NFL history if successful

As the Denver Broncos become the latest NFL franchise to go up for sale, a new bidder has emerged who checks a lot of boxes on what both the NFL and its players have called for in recent years. Media mogul Byron Allen, who is the chairman and CEO at Allen Media Group, has interest in becoming the NFL’s first Black majority owner in NFL history, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The 60-year old Detroit native started his career as a comedian, appearing on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He then became a television producer and started Allen Media, which owns the Weather Channel and has about $1 billion invested to acquire 27 local network stations. In January, he announced a partnership with Google and is currently still in

The possibility of becoming an NFL owner first came onto Byron Allen’s radar in 2019, when he spoke with two prominent league figures about the potential move.

“NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft came to me in November of 2019 and asked me to take a good look at buying an NFL team,” Scott said in a statement. “And after serious consideration, I strongly believe I can help effectuate positive changes throughout the league. And for that reason, I will be making a bid for the Denver Broncos.”

Bloomberg also reports that Allen has held several meetings with the NFL, Kraft and the Denver Broncos in the three years since that initial conversation with Goodell.

Among the others to join Allen as minority owners, Bloomberg reports several Wall Street, Hollywood, sports and business people will be involved in the bid.

Diversity in NFL ownership

As Brian Flores files a lawsuit against the NFL and several of its teams, the conversation about minority representation in the NFL has reached the forefront. From former players to analysts, everyone is now discussing what changes can prevent the type of allegations brought against the league and its owners.

Shahid Khan, of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Kim Pegula, who owns the Buffalo Bills along with her husband Terry Pegula, are the only two minority owners in the NFL. They come from India and South Korea, respectively, and are joined by Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wolf, born in Germany, as the only NFL owners born outside the United States.

Less than 10 percent of the ownership group represent minority groups, despite roughly 71 percent of the league’s players coming from minority backgrounds, according to NBC News.

Changing those numbers is a long-term project given the nature of the league, which has seen just four ownership changes in the past decade, including Khan and Pegula’s bids. In addition, the NFL has five franchises which have not been sold since at least 1933 thanks to family inheritances and the Green Bay Packers public model.

As the NFL comes under fire publicly and in Brian Flores’ lawsuit, the lack of minority voices in the room becomes more evident for the league which has also never held a minority commissioner. As it stands, the only section of the league operation which holds a significant minority presence is the NFL Players Association.