Colts reveal ownership transition to Jim Irsay’s daughters

INDIANAPOLIS — The next generation of Colts ownership has been made official.

The Colts on Monday announced their ownership reorganization in the wake of longtime owner Jim Irsay’s death last month.

In accordance with their father’s wishes, Irsay’s three daughters have assumed co-ownership of the team, with each getting respective roles within the franchise.

Eldest daughter Carlie Irsay-Gordon will assume the role of owner and CEO and has been designated principal owner. NFL bylaws require that teams designate a single principal owner even in scenarios where franchises are under family control.

Casey Foyt will be owner and executive vice president while youngest sister Kalen Jackson will be owner and chief brand officer. Jackson will also be president of the Indianapolis Colts Foundation.

Jim Irsay died May 21 at the age of 65. He had served as principal owner of the Colts since his father’s death in 1997. The Irsay family has owned the franchise since 1972 — one of the longest periods of sustained ownership in NFL history.

Irsay’s daughters have all worked in the franchise in various capacities for years. Irsay-Gordon, in particular, has long been heavily involved in day-to-day management of the Colts and serves on numerous ownership committees.

Irsay encouraged his daughters to seek out areas of the team that aligned with their interests, allowing each to settle into their respective roles. They could often be found in various settings, from the sideline to the draft room.

The transition from Jim Irsay to his daughters has, so far, proved much easier than the transition from Bob Irsay to his son. Nancy Irsay — Bob Irsay’s wife and Jim’s stepmother — filed a lawsuit in 1997 against Jim Irsay and the executors of her husband’s estate alleging a conspiracy to interfere with her inheritance. The matter was resolved with an out-of-court settlement, and the Colts remained with Jim Irsay.

When Jim Irsay took control of the team, he made his intentions clear from the beginning.

“We’re keeping 100 percent of the team,” he said at the time, “and I’m passing it on to my children.”