Meet the sisters who help run the Bengals

Blackburns have taken on highly visible projects

The Blackburn sisters have been busy since returning to Cincinnati and joining the family business during the past two and a half years.

The granddaughters of Bengals owner and president Mike Brown quickly made their presence known in the front office by taking on some visible projects, including the Ring of Honor and a new indoor practice facility.

Elizabeth Blackburn, director of strategy and engagement, and Caroline Blackburn, senior manager of digital strategy, discussed their journey home on this week’s episode of The Enquirer’s “That’s So Cincinnati” podcast.

Elizabeth Blackburn said she had four things on her to-do list. Establishing the Bengals Ring of Honor, which last season became a reality with the induction of Anthony Munoz and Paul Brown (the Blackburns’ great-grandfather, who founded the franchise). That allowed her to cross off one of those items.

Winning a playoff game was also on that list, but neither sister imagined that last season would culminate with an AFC Championship win and a trip to the Super Bowl.

It was vindication for the family, which in the not-so-distant past was the object of harsh criticism from fans, some of whom called on Mike Brown to sell the team. The Bengals went 2-11 in 2019 and 4-11 in 2020.

“It’s painful. That’s the only way to say it,” Elizabeth Blackburn said of the criticism, noting that theirs is one of the few ownership groups that live in the same city where the team plays. “I hope frankly it never gets anywhere close to that point again. I care too much about our family, about our team and about the community to ever want to (be) in that kind of contentious situation.

“But that was motivating, I will say. It was painful, it was motivating, and it led to today, and it really makes you appreciate when you are in a good time.”

Caroline Blackburn said that the team’s indoor practice facility should be readybyNovemberandisespeciallyimportant now that the season has been extended to 17 games.

The site is a two-minute walk west from Paycor Stadium between the two bridges.

The sisters covered a variety of topics – from the white helmets that will debut infrontofanationaltelevisionaudience in Game 4 (Thursday Sept. 29 on Amazon Prime) to what it’s like working closely with your sibling. Spoiler alert: Elizabeth has a habit that annoys Caroline.

Neither sister takes for granted the excitement generated by last season’s improbable Super Bowl appearance and its effect on the community.

“Coming out of COVID, it felt so special and needed to bring a positive into people’s lives,” Elizabeth Blackburn said. “That’s what sports are. Sports are hope. Going to a live game is community. And so I really try to focus on the positives and hope that the Bengals are that positive piece of energy and light into people’s lives. That’s what it should be about.”

Listen to The Enquirer’s “That’s So Cincinnati” podcast on Apple, iHeart or your favorite podcast platform.