Lions Ownership Has No Plans To Sell Team

There has been some speculation that the Ford family would be selling the Lions in the near future, speculation that was largely fueled by long-time Detroit sportscaster Eli Zaret, who said on a recent podcast that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos would buy the team in 2020.

But per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, that is not the case. Team president Rod Wood said there has indeed been outside interest in purchasing the Lions, but Wood said there have been no serious discussions in that regard. Controlling owner Martha Ford is 94, and while she remains just as involved and visible as any other controlling owner — as Birkett writes, she is an active participant in league meetings and regularly meets with head coach Matt Patricia to discuss the franchise — the team obviously needs a succession plan.

And while neither Wood, Ford, nor Ford’s daughter, Sheila Ford Hamp, have disclosed the details of that succession plan, Wood has consistently maintained that the team will remain in the Ford family, just as it has been for the past 60 years. The franchise has not experienced a great deal of success in that time, and fans have been plenty vocal about their desire to have the Fords sell the team, but that does not appear likely to happen anytime soon.

It seems that Ford Hamp may take over as controlling owner when Ford is no longer able to serve in that capacity. As Birkett notes, Ford Hamp has taken a bigger role in running the franchise in recent seasons. She is one of the four vice chairs of the Lions, and she began serving on the NFL’s Super Bowl and Major Events Committee this spring.

Recently, Ford indicated that Patricia and GM Bob Quinn would be back with the team next season.

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