Mellody Hobson joins an elite group of Black women with an ownership stake in a professional sports team. Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments, will be the Denver Broncos’ next part-owner.
The Denver Post reports that the NFL will reportedly sell for $4.65 billion to Wal-Mart heir Rob Walton. Forbes estimated last year the team was valued at $3.75 billion.
“Beyond her role at Ariel, Mellody is an influential leader in corporate and civic organizations across the nation,” Walton said in a press release. “Mellody currently serves as chair of the Starbucks Corporation board and is also a director of JPMorgan Chase. We know she will bring her strategic acumen and leadership perspective to our team.”
As Starbucks’ chair, Hobson became the first Black woman to chair a company in the Standard & Poor’s 500. Additionally, she is DreamWorks Animation board chair, and a board member of Estée Lauder Companies.
Sources: United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, CBS, PEOPLE, The Denver Post, Forbes, EBONY
