Roger Goodell recently pushed back on the narrative that there’s a “soft” market for the Seahawks franchise, with the commissioner stating that there was in fact “tremendous interest” among prospective buyers. Days later, there are rumblings that a record-breaking sale could actually be completed by the end of the summer.
[RELATED: Roger Goodell Claims ‘Tremendous Interest’ In Seattle Franchise]
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed that if “all goes well,” there could be a special league meeting in August to approve a new Seahawks owner. Rapoport also said that a sale could eclipse $10 billion, with the reporter describing the market as “robust.”
Following years of rumors regarding a potential sale of the team and only days after winning February’s Super Bowl, Paul Allen‘s estate announced the commencement of a formal sale process of the Seahawks franchise. So far, only former Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck has emerged as a definitive potential buyer, while 49ers investor Vinod Khosia was reportedly on track to prepare a bid. The likeliest path still sees several limited partners subsidize a majority owner’s bid (similar to Josh Harris‘s purchase in Washington).
While there were whispers that the next NFL sale could reach 11-figures, a $10 billion total would still be staggering. The Commanders still represent the largest NFL deal after they were sold for $6.05 billion in 2023, followed by the Broncos $4.65 billion sale from the year before. The Browns also recently sold a three-percent ownership share in their franchise, with that transaction being established on a $9 billion valuation. The Los Angeles Lakers became the first United States sports franchise to top a $10 billion price tag when they were sold from the Buss family to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter in 2025.
When the sale is ultimately complete, estate executor (and sister of Paul Allen) Jody Allen intends to honor her brother’s wishes of dedicating proceeds of the sale to philanthropic purposes.
I agree that honoring Allen’s will is the right thing to do, but I don’t quite understand why the NFL is so vested in forcing the sale. Well, I do understand-bragging rights and higher valuations for the existing franchises (yay, more private equity)-but it doesn’t seem like they should really be the ones intervening here.
So just say it’s going to the highest bidder, which I doubt is $10B invested. There’s just no way that team in that circumstance is worth $4B more than the last one for sale.
With the political scenery in Seattle I’m curious how any ‘sale’ might transpire without that City leeching off a very sizable cut! With the State following closely behind.
However if ‘buyers’ have zero ties to Washington State there might be a bit of safety.
You mean like the socialist mayor that has never had a job and just said there is not fraud going on just a way to racist against certain people. No idiot there is fraud and the housing dept you were a part is missing millions. That isn’t racism according to her but an accounting error. I hate making million dollar accounting errors.
Sheltered hipsters like her love to talk about racism and the way things are even though they know nothing about either because they grew up in a bubble.
We have our new income tax for people earning over $1 mill a year. Even though our State Constitution says we can’t have an income tax. One of the Dems said we will just change the Constitution. Good luck with that.
I doubt it affects players signing here because other states have it too. In some form or another. I don’t see how it gets past the SCOTUS. You just can’t change the Constitution because you have a spending problem.
I hope whoever buys the team doesn’t do what has been rumored and want a new stadium. That stadium is awesome. It is utilitarian but awesome. Fix up the suites fancy but leave the stadium alone.
Really Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Florida would like to speak with you
While I don’t see Seattle being in any danger of losing their NFL team given the huge and moneyed market that region now is, the state of and way their city and state is run and the geniuses running it sure make me find it hard to believe even a billionaire will want to shell out $10 billion plus for it.
Whoever buys the team will instantly be scapegoated as the enemy by their largely trust funded and privileged government leaders and other transplants who love to cosplay as class warriors. Who wants to live like that?
Get the sale done so the political commentators can shut up about this issue lol
In other business news, I plan to invest heavily in some Dr. Scholl’s insoles later today. Plantar Fasciitis is a pain I can do without.