The Seahawks’ Super Bowl parade took place on Wednesday. The team’s attention will now turn to matters such as filling out its 2026 coaching staff. 
In the meantime, a sale of the franchise will remain something to monitor closely. The Seahawks are required to be sold per the terms of late owner Paul Allen‘s estate, which is controlled by his sister Jody. A agreement sometime this offseason is expected to be pursued by all parties.
The league is operating with urgency on this front, NFL Network’s Judy Battista notes (video link). She adds the sale process could begin in time for the annual league meetings in March. Jody Allen is also overseeing the sale of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, with an agreement already in place in that regard. If/when the Seahawks are purchased, a record-breaking figure can be expected.
Bidding on the Seahawks could reach a figure between $9 and $11 billion, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. That would easily set a new highmark for the value of sports franchises. The most recent sale of an NFL team came when Josh Harris purchased the Commanders in 2023. The price tag in that case was $6.05 billion. A long list of bidders showing interest in the Seahawks could of course result in a much larger figure this time around.
Jeff Bezos is not expected to be a major suitor to purchase the franchise, Florio confirms. The Amazon founder has long been mentioned as a logical candidate to take on ownership duties, but many have expressed doubt he will show interest in making a bid. The emergence of other suitors will be something to monitor as the sales process gets underway.
There has been recent reporting of a $5MM fine being issued to the Seahawks by the NFL for a lack of compliance with ownership requirements. Per Florio, the league – which denied the reports – agreed not to impose the fine in exchange for a firm commitment from the team to proceed with the sale. As a result, a number of developments could take place over the course of the 2026 offseason.
Next up; a ‘slight tax raise’ to maintain the stadium.
Leave it to the MS folks to win a SB just before you have to sell.
Isn’t it great to live a life of luxury and then donate everything you own posthumously. You get the life of materialism and the eulogies of a saint.
Just love to see Steve Ballmer raising that flag!
Every ‘team’ sale has been a “record setting” pile of billionaire extravagance, why would this one be any different.
What’d be a real story – team sold and being loved to Mexico City or Madrid or Moscow! Likely happening in the not too distant future.
I think Europe gets a few teams at once’s and it becomes another division. Then they don’t have to always travel so far for games.
Wait for Goodell to support a special one time only state “NFL Franchise Sale Tax”….
He’s a great leftist that embraces progressive causes. Even at 2% it would represent a windfall for the state.
I asked if I can pay them a dollar a week for 11 billion weeks. I’m waiting to hear back……
This aligns with how MLB contracts are now structured
Steve Ballmer opened the Pandora’s box on the selling price of sports franchises when he offered up $2B to buy the Clippers from the disgraced Donald Sterling. That figure was nearly 2x the expected purchase price at that time (2014).
I believe Jodie could just donate a dollar amount to charities and be inline to keep control. I am not worried about the team being moved. You would have to be a fool to move it. Always sold out awesome stadium great fans.
Paul was a great owner and Jodie has been great too. She has been involved but let everyone do their jobs. She has made some tough decisions like firing Pete or adding payroll.
She has the money to buy it but not sure if there is something in the will that says she can’t. I know it says to donate the amount received to charity. Not sure what the league would say if she donated $6 billion to charities and said the team was hers. Would the league be unhappy because the team didn’t change hands would they be able to say no and force a sale to another person?
She also would be the perfect person to lead the ownership of the new Sonics group. Silver met with our idiot governer and if they do expand Seattle will be considered. NBA would be fools not to put a team here.
The pro leagues are ripe with fools. I’ve heard Atlanta is on tap to get their 3rd shot at an NHL team.
That just cracks me up, NHL is a sweltering humid climate. Every State with furnace like weather hosting a team just doesn’t seem ‘correct’, like NHL in the Sahara! 🤣
It’d be nice to have a reason to watch NBA again!