Lions President Rod Wood opening statement: “Hello everybody. I hope everyone is safe and healthy and your whole families are the same. Very interesting times that we’re living in, and hopefully we can see everybody in-person this fall. Contrary to your thinking – we did not plan the timing of this announcement to mess up the first couple days of your vacation. I appreciate that everyone is off with their families and were able to pause for a few minutes to dial-in and listen to this call today. You saw our release earlier today. This has been a long-planned transition of ownership from Mrs. Ford to Mrs. Hamp. As you’ve heard me say in prior statements and interviews, this has been a long-standing plan to keep the Lions within the Ford Family. This has just been the next step in that plan. I just want to personally, on behalf of the organization and myself, thank Mrs. Ford for her years of leadership and support for the organization and me, personally. She’s done a wonderful job. I think one of the key components of being a great leader is planning for a great succession, and that’s what we’re talking about today.
“I’d just like to talk a little bit about Mrs. Hamp before I turn it over to her. She’s Mrs. Ford’s daughter. She’s grown up with the Lions – been part of her life for her entire life. She’s been a vice chairman for the last six years. As you know, she’s been very active, not only with the team, but with the NFL attending ownership meetings, joining league committees, getting to know the League professionals, executives and other owners. You’ll find her to be very committed, very smart, very personable and completely ready for this opportunity to lead the organization. I’m thrilled to be working with her and for her. With that, I’m going to turn the call over to Mrs. Sheila Hamp, who’s going to have a few opening comments as well before we open it up for questions.”
Lions Principal Owner and Chairman Sheila Ford Hamp opening statement: “Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you, Rod, so much for that really nice introduction. And thank you all for attending this press conference. As Rod said, I wish I could see you and greet you personally, but hopefully we’ll be able to do that sometime pretty soon. In the meantime, thank you very much for calling in. I understand that a lot of you are on vacation, so I really appreciate you taking the time. To start, as Rod mentioned, I’d like to make a brief statement, and then I’ll open it up for questions. To begin, I’d like to acknowledge my mother and her terrific leadership over the past six-and-a-half years. She’s been a wonderful leader of this team, a role model for me, as well as a terrific teacher and mentor. I realize I have big, little, shoes to fill. I also like to recognize my two sisters and my brother for their past and future contributions as vice chairmen and their participation in board meetings and attendance at games. This truly has been, and will continue to be, a family endeavor.
“To the entire Lions organization, I want to say that I’m very excited about my new role. I look forward to getting to know the organization and staff more fully. I’m very pleased and excited about the progress we’ve made, and I think we’re on a good path. Although I know I have things to learn about the organization, I feel like I’m well prepared for this new role. I have attended Lions board meetings and every game for the past six-and-a-half years. In fact, as Rod mentioned, I’ve been attending Lions games since I was a little girl. I’ve gotten to know well many team leaders in the Lions organizations. I’ve been by my mother’s side for many major decisions, and I’ve attended and participated in NFL league meetings for the past four years. I’m currently a member of the League Fan Engagement and Special Events committee. Through my committee work and attendance of league meetings, I’ve developed relationships with other owners and leadership for the League – which is something I look forward to continuing.
“Of course, I want to acknowledge that these are very challenging times. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the current civil unrest around racial injustice, these are indeed, unprecedented times. I am extremely proud, however, of how our team has been navigating this difficult offseason. As an organization, we support our players’ and coaches’ efforts to bring social justice issues to the forefront, and we will continue to support them and work for positive change. These are conversations I know Coach Patricia has had with our team over the last several weeks, and I look forward to engaging, learning, and most importantly, listening, as we strive forward as a team. As in any period of enormous uncertainty, we are planning all sorts of scenarios. Our goal is to keep the Lions organization safe and healthy while we prepare to play football this fall. To our staff who have worked remotely to prepare for this 2020 season, I want to thank you for your continued hard work.
“Our expectations for our team are the same as we discussed at the end of last season. We think we have a competitive team. We are excited about the players we’ve added through free agency and the Draft. We are also pleased with the new additions to our coaching staff, including Defensive Coordinator Cory Undlin and Special Teams Coordinator Brayden Coombs. Before I close, I’d like to thank our loyal Lions fans. It is my goal and intent to bring them the winning football team on the field that they deserve. Thank you very much, and I will be happy to take some questions.”
On the experiences that will shape her ownership style: “Yes, I have been going to games (for) forever – way back to Briggs Stadium. Been a huge fan and supporter of the Lions my entire life. But you’re right, the last six-and-a-half years by my mother’s side, I’ve learned a ton. She’s really been an incredible role model to me. She’s been hands-on, she’s tough, she’s smart, she’s gracious. I intend to emulate a lot of those things, and hopefully put my own stamp on things. I guess I plan to be hands-on and learn as much as I can about the organization and be involved in a lot of ways.”
On if she has seen enough this offseason to satisfy the mandate of a must-win season: “Well, this is going to be a weird year for sure. Nobody knows what to expect because everything changes minute by minute. We’re planning on a season, we’re planning on training camp, we’re planning on starting on time – but who knows? It’s a pandemic. It’s unprecedented and crazy and things change all the time. I do feel like that we’ve made some progress in the offseason. I have not seen any of the players because all the meetings have been virtual, and obviously, no one has been on the field yet. But on paper, I am very pleased with our draft and free agency. I know Coach Patricia is very pleased with the meetings he’s had, and it looks like the group is very cohesive, and these difficult social justice conversations have actually helped to bond the team. So I’m just looking forward to seeing everybody in action. Yes, we plan and expect an improved team. I think we’re going to get that.”
On what prompted the decision to change ownership: “Well it was really my mother’s decision. She is totally fine and healthy by the way. I want to get that out there for sure. We kind of thought this would be a good time because there’s no football right now. So rather than make a switch closer to the season or once things got underway, just seemed like a good time to do it. It gives me six weeks or so to get some mileage under my belt before training camp opens, to get situated and figure out how I’m going to try to do this job.”
On examples of what she has learned the past five years that has helped get her ready for this role: “As you said, I’ve been an understudy to my mother, which has been incredible and just really watching and learning and getting to know the staff. And watching my mother in action at meetings, how she conducts herself, even at the NFL meetings –at first you walk into those big rooms, with those big black leather chairs, and they’re kind of daunting, but you get over it and she did. And she showed me kind of how to do it, not be intimidated. It’s been a wonderful experience. I feel so grateful that I’ve had this time with her. I mean, who gets to do that with their mother? I mean, it’s pretty amazing. Anyways, I’ve learned a lot and I admire her style and as I say, plan to put my own stamp on things. But I plan to be very hands on, one of my first things that I want to do is setup with Rod (Wood) some meetings with other parts of the organization that I really don’t know that well. I really want to take a deep dive and understand the whole thing.”
On if she plans to be even more involved in league business initiatives in light of her recent appointment to the Super Bowl Events Committee: “Yes, I plan to be quite involved. Actually, I was tapped for that committee. I didn’t ask for it and I imagine that now that I’m actually the principal owner that I will probably be even more involved. I’ve been going to meetings, and talking to people, and meeting other owners and a lot of the leaders of the League. I’ve made a lot of nice relationships. I’ve gotten a lot of nice letters and notes from people. So, yeah, I plan to stay quite involved. I got a nice call from the Commissioner. So, yes, I plan to stay quite involved with the League.”
On what she wants to change in regard to what she has seen in the organization thus far: “Well, as I say, I know obviously the key leaders of the organization. I want to take a deeper dive into the organization so I can really know and understand. I don’t have a particular agenda in mind in terms of changes. I just want to understand and know better and then be able to make better, informed decisions on my own if things need to be done or changed. But I don’t have a hit list or anything right now. I want to be a learner to begin with.”
On what her policy is in regard to players protesting and kneeling this season: “First of all, I think the understanding is completely different now. I think most people really understand what the kneeling was all about. I know the Commissioner has said, and I completely agree, that we support our players’ right to peaceful protest. We support the First Amendment. I think this has finally, finally, thank goodness, gotten national attention. This is a serious problem and we as an organization plan to listen to our players and support them any way we can.”
On if she will support players and coaches who choose to kneel during the National Anthem and if her family would also take part in kneeling for the National Anthem: “I can’t speak for my mother or my brother or sisters right now, but we’re not down on the field when the games begin. I will be watching from the stands. That’s where we are. As I say, we support our players’ right to peaceful protest and so, however that comes out, and peaceful is the key word – so, no, we won’t be kneeling on the field, no. But we would support them.”
On her opinion if the coaches or front office decided to pursue signing QB Colin Kaepernick as a free agent: “If our coaches and our general manager all thought it was a good idea to bring him in, I would completely support that.”
On if she gets as upset when the Lions lose as the fans do: “Yes, I can absolutely guarantee you that for myself and for my family, we are very upset when we lose. There’s nothing that makes us more upset. We are trying, trying our best to change this win-loss record. I do think, as I mentioned in my comments, we’re on a good path. Hopefully, we will have a season that makes sense because of COVID. I think we’ve got some really good leadership and have some really good additions. But I can guarantee you nobody hates to lose more than me and my family and that’s for sure.”
On if she will be more accessible to the media and the fans than her parents were in the past: “Well, I’ll do things from time to time, for sure. Happy to talk. I’m not sure I’m looking for a career in television or radio. It’ll be as we go. I’ll see how it is. Yes, I will talk to the media at times.”
On her thoughts of having the transition of principal ownership go from a female to a female: “Well, I think it’s pretty awesome, actually. My mother really broke the ground for me. I look around the NFL and actually, there are quite a few women owners now. So, it’s changed a lot. When I graduated from college, all I wanted to do was go work for the NFL. And at the time, Pete Rozelle was the Commissioner and he was a friend of mine actually because I had attended so many events with my father and ended up sitting next to him at a couple dinners. We communicated, so I went to see him and he literally could not think of anything for a female to do way back then. And so, things have changed a lot and I think it’s terrific. I am excited, and as I say, I look around the League and there are quite a few women owners now, which is great.”
On if she can assess what’s gone wrong with the organization over the years and if she can change it: “Well, I think, for one thing, a winning organization – there’s a lot of consistency. You’ve got to get the right mix of people and, I think, stay with it. You look at a team like the Patriots and that’s what they’ve got. So, I think there have been a lot of changes over the years with the Lions, and this and that, but we haven’t been able to – yet – reach that magic formula. I’m hoping that this year – Coach (Matt) Patricia will be in his third year, and hopefully things will start to gel and, as I said, I think we’ve got a really competitive team and I just hope we get to play football.”
On if she can clarify if the mandate from ownership on the 2020 season makes it a win-now scenario: “Well, as I said, I think this is going to be kind of a weird year. So, I don’t want to say anything about wins and losses. I think the overarching thing is that we want to see major improvement. At this point, I can’t really say what those specific measures are going to be, because I don’t know what the season is going to be like yet. But believe me, major improvement is a goal.”
On how she would describe her leadership tactics: “I plan to be involved. I plan to, as I keep saying, learn more about the organization. I don’t plan to meddle, but I plan to be informed enough so that I can make good decisions at the top.”
On if she has the ultimate say on major front office decisions: “Pretty much, yes. I have my mother on the board and my two sisters and my brother. Any major decision will totally be discussed with all of them. We’re all in constant touch about things and we discuss and come together with conclusions. But I guess the buck has to stop somewhere, so I guess it’s me – but with the help and discussion of my siblings and my mother.”
On if there won’t be major changes in the ownership structure based on her experience the last six years: “Well, I’ve been on the job for about four hours now. I think what I do will evolve, and I think that I don’t have a specific agenda, but my main objective is to be a learner and understand and then hopefully make intelligent decisions.”
On how she anticipates her role changing with NFL business and league matters: “Well, there are lots of different committees. I don’t want to really mention (anything) because it’s a league decision – they kind of pick you. But I will have conversations within the League about some of the committees that I’m interested in and if I want to get involved more deeply.”
On how she might anticipate her approach to league matters and how it will differ from her mother’s: “The way the League meetings work is we get agendas ahead of time. There’s usually voting matters, as you know. A lot of times, if there’s a controversial voting matter, there will certainly be discussion among the owners before the meetings start. That’s kind of what my mother did and proceeded with and I plan to make my own decisions about how to vote, but I (will) consult with Rod Wood or Bob Quinn or Coach (Matt) Patricia if there are rule changes and I’ll get a lot of input and hopefully make an informed decision.”
On if there are broad areas of league business that interest her: “Well, I’m actually interested in almost all aspects of the League business. I would be happy to be tapped to a number of things. I really don’t want to get into specifics in case things turn out differently.”
On if it was her or her mother who ultimately decided to retain Executive Vice President & General Manager Bob Quinn and Head Coach Matt Patricia this season: “That was definitely a joint effort, and with my siblings. It was definitely a joint decision.”
On if she has a message to the fan base: “Well, my message is that I’m going to do everything in my power to create a winning organization, especially on the field. The fans deserve it, the city deserves it and I am a very competitive person. I grew up playing competitive tennis and it’s and individual sport and it’s me out there by myself and, boy, I hated to lose. I still hate to lose. I guess that’s my message to the fans. I’ll hate to lose as much as they do, and I’ll try not to.”
On if this new generation of Ford leadership will differ from the previous generation: “Well for one thing, I can do a Zoom call. I’m just kidding. Again, I think that how I develop as a leader is going to evolve. My mother (was) wonderful and gracious, so was my dad. Maybe I’ll be a little more hands-on. Maybe I’ll be a little bit more hands-on with some of the younger staff. I’d like to learn way more about our analytics team, for instance. I know they’re excellent, but I kind of want to get briefed on what they do. So, I think there’ll be things that I may dive into a little more deeply than my mother or my father would have, and we’ll see how the leadership develops from there.”
