User:Hey man im josh/List of Detroit Lions owners


 * Harry N. Snyder (1930–1934)
 * George A. Richards (1934–1940)
 * Fred L. Mandel Jr. (1940–1948)
 * Detroit Football Company (1948–1963)
 * William Clay Ford Sr. (1963–2014)
 * Martha Firestone Ford (2014–2020)
 * Sheila Ford Hamp (2020–present)

 Purchase (efn-ua|Purchased for an undisclosed sum / purchased for xyz)
 * William Clay Ford Sr. was one of 4 people to own an NFL team for 50+ years
 * Ralph Wilson was minority owner before buying the Bills
 * Harry Wismer apparently minority owner at the same time
 * D. Lyle Fife at one point had a stake I believe?
 * "Anderson remained with the Lions until his death on February 5, 1987."

At Detroit Football Company: On January 15, 1948, the NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Lions from Fred L. Mandel Jr. to a seven-person syndicate. The original members were

D. Lyle Fife, owner of an electrical supply company Edwin J. Anderson, president of the Goebel Brewing Company William D. Downey, president of the Kinsel Drug Co. Charles T. Fisher Jr., bank president Walter Briggs Jr., son of Detroit Tigers owner Walter Briggs Sr. Arthur Hoffman, pharmaceutical executive Harry Wismer, sports announcer

C. Ray Davisson, George Cavanaugh, William Clay Ford Sr., and Ralph Wilson were among the stockholders who later joined the company.

On November 22, 1963, 135 of the team's 144 stockholders voted to sell the team to Ford for $6 million. The deal was closed on January 10, 1964, and the Detroit Football Company was dissolved.[7]

Per media guide: On June 23, 2020, Sheila Ford Hamp succeeded her mother, Martha Firestone Ford, as Principal Owner and Chair of the Detroit Lions. From 2014-19, Mrs. Hamp served as one of the team’s vice chairs during her mother’s ownership.

Also owners:
 * Martha Ford Morse
 * William Clay Ford Jr.
 * Elizabeth Ford Kontulis
 * Martha Firestone Ford

Person | Part of ownership length | Primary owner length | Acquisition method | Refs

Following six seasons (2014-19) as the Detroit Lions Owner and Chair, Martha Firestone Ford now serves as Owner/Chair Emeritus and supports her four children – Principal Owner and Chair Sheila Ford Hamp, Owner/Vice Chair Martha Ford Morse, Owner/Vice Chair William Clay Ford Jr., and Owner/Vice Chair Elizabeth Ford Kontulis – in the organizational leadership of the franchise. Mrs. Ford succeeded her husband, William Clay Ford, who passed away on March 9, 2014, after serving as the sole owner of the franchise for 50 seasons (1964-2013). Following her husband’s passing, Mrs. Ford became the fifth principal owner or syndicate group to own and operate the franchise since it moved to Detroit in 1934.

June 30, 1934 George A. Richards heads group that purchases Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans for $7,952.08

Jan. 15, 1948 Syndicate headed by Edwin J. Anderson purchases Detroit franchise for $165,000 and names “Bo” McMillin general manager and head coach

Jan. 10, 1964 William Clay Ford takes over as Lions’ sole owner after purchasing franchise for $4.5 million (Conflicts with Detroit Football Company info, which states 6m, date the same though)

https://www.retroseasons.com/teams/detroit-lions/history/owners/

Lists City of Portsmouth Ohio as an owner for a bit and then a Homer Selby?? Apparently possible co-owner...

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