Dick Monfort has been in charge of the Colorado Rockies since 1997. He serves as chairman, CEO, and managing general partner of the club. In April 2026, the Monforts sold their largest minority stake to Greg and Carrie Walton Penner — owners of the Denver Broncos — creating a rare crossover where both of Denver’s major sports franchises now share the same shareholders. All of this happened in the shadow of the worst season in Rockies history: a 43-119 record in 2025.
Ownership at a Glance
- Principal owner: Richard L. ‘Dick’ Monfort
- Ownership group: Colorado Rockies Baseball Club, Ltd.
- Group in control since: 1992
- Original purchase price: $95 million (expansion franchise, 1991)
- Current valuation (Forbes, March 2026): $1.68 billion
- Value increase: 17.7x in nominal terms
Who Is Dick Monfort?
Richard L. Monfort was born on April 27, 1954, in Greeley, Colorado. His father, Kenneth Monfort, owned Monfort of Colorado, Inc., one of the largest beef packing and distribution companies in the United States. That’s where the family money started — cattle and beef.
Dick earned a business degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1976, though he had already joined the family business in 1974 as a cattle buyer. By 1987 he had risen to executive vice president. That same year, ConAgra Foods acquired Monfort of Colorado, and Dick became president of ConAgra Red Meats.
He joined the Rockies ownership group on December 8, 1997, took over as principal owner alongside his brother Charlie in 2005, and has been managing general partner since 2011. He lives in Denver with his wife Karen and serves on the boards of the University of Northern Colorado, University of Colorado Hospital, and the Denver Zoo.
How the Monforts Got the Team
The Monfort group first took control of the Rockies in 1992, when the franchise was in crisis. A rescue group — Jerry McMorris, Oren Benton, and Charlie Monfort — had acquired it for just $15 million after the original owners, John Antonucci and Mickey Monus, paid $95 million for the expansion franchise in 1991. Dick joined the partnership in 1997 and consolidated full control with his brother in 2005.
Today, Forbes values the club at $1.68 billion (as of March 2026), meaning the investment has grown 17.7x in nominal terms. The Rockies rank 25th out of 30 MLB franchises by valuation.
Ownership Timeline
- 1991 — John Antonucci & Mickey Monus (expansion franchise): $95M
- 1992 — Rescue group (Jerry McMorris, Oren Benton, Charlie Monfort): $15M
- 1997 — Dick Monfort joins the partnership
- 2005 — Dick & Charlie Monfort take full control
- 2026 — Penner Sports Group (Greg & Carrie Walton Penner) becomes largest minority stakeholder
Beyond Baseball: Real Estate and the LoDo District
The Monfort family controls a significant real estate portfolio in Denver, centered on the LoDo neighborhood around Coors Field. That includes McGregor Square — a mixed-use development with a hotel, residences, offices, and a public plaza right next to the ballpark. Coors Field itself carries the name of the iconic Colorado brewery. The Monfort of Colorado legacy remains part of the family’s story even after ConAgra’s 1987 acquisition.
In April 2026, Greg and Carrie Walton Penner — Broncos owners and Walmart heirs — became the Rockies’ largest minority partners. Despite the on-field disaster of 2025, the business side is healthy: Forbes estimates $20 million in operating income for 2025 and a debt-to-value ratio of just 7%, one of the lowest in the league. Losing doesn’t cost the family money.
How to Watch Rockies Games
The Rockies left the regional sports network model when AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain shut down in 2023. Since 2024, games have been available through Rockies.TV — a streaming service with no local blackouts, priced at $19.99/month or $99.99 for the full season — plus cable distribution through Comcast and other local providers.
The big addition for 2026: ESPN acquired local streaming rights, so games are now accessible inside the ESPN app via a standalone package, through MLB.TV, or on its own. Select games — including the home opener — air free over the air on 9NEWS (KUSA) and KTVD in Denver.
Numbers Worth Knowing
- The 2025 Rockies went 43-119 — the worst season in franchise history.
- Their run differential was -424, the worst in modern MLB history and the worst since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders.
- They started 8-42 through 50 games — the worst 50-game start in the modern era.
- They lost 22 consecutive series, another record.
- The 119 losses tied the third-most in a season in modern MLB history, alongside the 2003 Tigers, and fell two short of the 2024 White Sox’s all-time record.
- Dick Monfort is one of the few MLB owners who replies to angry fan emails from his personal account — and several of those responses have gone viral, including one in which he told a fan to find another team if they weren’t happy.
- He has been at the helm for 34 years, making him the fifth-longest-tenured owner among all 30 MLB franchises.
Where the Rockies Rank Among MLB Owners
- By franchise value: #25 of 30
- By original purchase price: #22 of 27
- By years in charge: #5 of 30
All figures are nominal and not adjusted for inflation. Comparing a decades-old purchase price to today’s valuation overstates the real gain.
