Robert Carl "Bob" Wetenhall Sr. (February 14, 1935 – September 3, 2021) was an American businessman who owned the

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: ''Les Alouettes de Montréal'') are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...

Football Club of the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

from 1997 through 2018.

Biography

Robert (Bob) Wetenhall was born on February 14, 1935, in Rye, New York. He graduated from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

and became an investment banker, becoming a founding partner of McConnell Wetenhall Inc. When the American Football League and National Football League merged in the 1960s Wetenhall became a part owner of the Boston Patriots of the AFL and the New England Patriots of the NFL. In the 1970s Wetenhall became involved in a North American soccer team. In 1997 Wetenhall purchased the

Canadian Football League club. During his ownership the Alouettes played in eight

Grey Cup The Grey Cup () is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners ...

s during the 14 seasons between 1997 and 2010. In addition they won three championships in the 2002, 2009 and 2010 seasons. On May 31, 2019, Wetenhall, facing old age and worsening conditions both on-field (the team missed the playoffs four consecutive seasons) and off-field with worsening attendance and exponentially growing financial losses, surrendered ownership of the Alouettes to the league in hopes of finding a new owner. He was granted an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

on November 23, 2011, in recognition of his work in the redevelopment of the Montreal Alouettes and the expansion of Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. In 2015, he was inducted into the

Canadian Football Hall of Fame The Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates achievements in Canadian football. It is maintained by the Canadian Football League (CFL). It includes displays about the CFL, ...

. He died on September 3, 2021, at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, at the age of 86.

References

External links

Montreal Alouettes profile
1935 births 2021 deaths Businesspeople from Milwaukee American investment bankers American sports businesspeople American company founders Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductees Montreal Alouettes owners New England Patriots owners North American Soccer League (1968–1984) executives Boston Patriots Princeton University alumni {{US-business-bio-1930s-stub