The former U.S. secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, has joined the Denver Broncos ownership group, the team announced on Monday. The former U.S. Secretary of State is the latest addition to the group led by billionaire Walmart heir Rob Walton. Walton—alongside Greg Penner, who is the founder of Madrone Capital Partners and Walton’s son-in-law—purchased the Broncos last month for a record $4.65 billion, pending league approval.
Rice, who has been linked in the past to a variety of potential NFL roles, is joining the incoming ownership group of the Denver Broncos led by Walmart heir Rob Walton, the team’s new owners announced Monday.
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“Football has been an integral part of my life since the moment it was introduced to me, and I am thrilled to be a part of the Broncos organization today,” Rice said in a statement. “I spent much of my younger years in Denver, so to be able to combine my love of the game with my love for this great city and team is an adventure of a lifetime and a great opportunity.”
Rice is the second minority limited partner in the ownership group, joining Mellody Hobson, the president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments. Rice is the first person to be publicly named to the group since the bidding ended, and it’s unclear how much stake Rice will own, since the terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Hobson and Rice are the first two Black women to own part of a team, though no Black men or women have ever been the principal owners of a team.
