Sources: Seahawks interest 'soft' from buyers

While potential buyers for the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are starting to emerge, the franchise hasn't generated the interest that the NFL hoped for when the estate of Paul G. Allen put the team up for sale in February, according to an owner, two team executives and another executive with direct knowledge of the state of the sale. "It's soft," a team owner said of the market for the Seahawks. "There isn't as much action as there was with Denver and Washington," another executive said, referring to the past two franchise sales. The sources who spoke to ESPN said the situation was fluid but added there are doubts among NFL owners and executives about whether the Seahawks -- which sports business insiders speculated would spark a bidding war and fetch up to $11 billion -- will eclipse the $10 billion mark. They said they believe that the team will sell for slightly above $9 billion, which would still be a record price for an NFL team. A league spokesperson declined comment. A spokesperson for the Allen estate told ESPN that "there is no news to share about the sale process," and a Seahawks spokesperson deferred to the estate's statement. Valuations for sports teams have exploded in recent years. In 2022, a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion. In 2023, a group led by Josh Harris paid $6.05 billion for the Commanders. Last year, the Buss family sold majority ownership in the Los Angeles Lakers at a $10 billion valuation, and last month, Lin Bin, the co-founder and vice chairman of Xiaomi, purchased a 1% stake in the Miami Dolphins at a record $12.5 billion valuation. The slow process for Seattle, so far at least, is notable not only because the franchise is a winner with a strong fan base but also because the buyers have significant leverage. The Seahawks have been owned by Allen's estate since the former owner and Microsoft co-founder died in 2018 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His sister, Jody Allen, has controlled the team as the executor of the trust, with a directive from her brother to eventually sell and donate the proceeds to charity. Right now, the pool of potential buyers is small, the sources told ESPN. Steve Apostolopoulos, a Canadian billionaire who was a candidate to buy the Commanders in 2023, is a potential buyer, sources said -- although an owner added that it was hard to tell how "real" Apostolopoulos is as a candidate, given the team's expected price point. (Apostolopoulos didn't respond to a message seeking comment.) Sportico reported Thursday, and two sources confirmed to ESPN, that Aditya Mittal, a member of one of India's richest families and a limited partner of the Boston Celtics, and Wyc Grousbeck, the Celtics' former controlling owner, are preparing a bid, as is Vinod Khosla, a billionaire limited partner of the San Francisco 49ers. In April, Front Office Sports reported that tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook had expressed interested, though Bloomberg later reported that the two aren't planning bids. The reasons the bidding has been unexpectedly quiet are varied, sources said, beginning with the expected price range. Few interested buyers are liquid enough to pay $9 billion for a team or have the 30% in cash that a major owner must make as a down payment, according to NFL rules. The Seahawks might also need a new stadium in upcoming years. While a new venue could open up additional revenue in the long term, the politics and cost could be a fight in the short term. Additionally, the NBA's board of governors recently approved the league to explore bids for an expansion team in Seattle. Some potential Seahawks buyers could have interest as a less expensive option, and the new owner will be greeted as a local hero who is reviving professional basketball in the city. At March's league meetings in Phoenix, there was a brief update on Seattle in the general session (for owners and league and team executives) but not a deeper, more meaty one in the privileged (owners only) meeting. Three sources told ESPN that the relative lack of information stood out, compared to the constant updates they would receive when the Commanders and Broncos were up for sale. The NFL expects the sale process to continue into the 2026 season, but it has dragged a bit. ESPN first reported in January that the franchise would be put up for sale after the Super Bowl, but an owner told ESPN that Allen and Company, the bank handling the sale, was quietly having discussions with potential buyers in the fall. The NFL announced that the team was officially for sale 10 days after the Seahawks blew out the New England Patriots to win the second championship in franchise history.

Sources: Seahawks interest 'soft' from buyers

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