Each owner is different. How involved will Irsay-Gordan be as one?
The Indianapolis Colts have passed hands with the death of long time owner, Jim Irsay. It is a joint venture in which his three daughters are now all co-owners. While each woman will have a role going forward, Carlie Irsay-Gordan has been tasked with the role of CEO along with being an owner. She is most directly filling the shoes of her late father, so the question lingers of how much she will be involved in operations. Some owners prefer to simply own the team and work behind the scenes. Others like more of a hands on approach to the daily comings and goings. It sounds like Irsay-Gordon will find herself more in the latter.
Before most fans knew the name Carlie Irsay-Gordan, they most likely noticed her presence on the sidelines during games. She had a headset on and a clipboard or tablet in her hand. This was a way of immersing herself in the process by listening to the calls and coordination that takes place during a game. As the owner’s daughter, she has spent her life around football, but just like most children, they don’t always know or have an interest in their parent’s jobs. Irsay-Gordan knew she was on a different track than most and wanted to be as prepared as possible when that day arrived.
Stephen Holder of ESPN captured how Irsay-Gordan being involved in the day-to-day is part of the plan. It isn’t in a sense to mettle but to truly engage and seek understanding.
Irsay-Gordon strongly believes that the best way to fully understand what is and isn’t happening under her leadership is to immerse herself in every possible way. She’s described by people who know her as detail oriented, and having a front-row seat is among the best ways to learn those details.
“I need to be able to say, ‘Is this person full of B.S.? Do they even know what they’re talking about?’” she said. “It is such a complex organism, a football team and how it operates on game day.”
That type of approach should put fans at ease. Some owners come in and make changes without understanding the franchise. Carlie Irsay-Gordan has already put time in to learning the organization and concepts to make her more proficient and effective. She isn’t going to be fooled by “coach speak” or have the wool pulled over her eyes because she is unaware. Knowing the organization and the finer details of what makes everything work will make her that much better of an owner and CEO. Things won’t be exactly the same as they were under Jim Irsay, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be just as good or better under Irsay-Gordan.
