Overview
- Buyer interest in the Seahawks has been described as "soft," according to ESPN-sourced reports on Friday, lowering the odds of a $10 billion or higher price even as a record NFL sale is still expected.
- Sportico reported Thursday that Aditya Mittal and former Celtics control owner Wyc Grousbeck submitted a letter of interest to Allen & Company, and that Grousbeck would operate the team from Seattle part-time if their bid wins because Mittal lives in London.
- Billionaire Vinod Khosla, a recent San Francisco 49ers investor, has submitted a separate letter of intent, and NFL rules would require him to sell his 49ers stake if he buys Seattle.
- The sale is being run by Allen & Company for the Paul G. Allen estate with proceeds directed to charity, and representatives for the bidders, the bank, and the Seahawks declined to offer updates beyond saying there is no news to share.
- Strict NFL ownership rules that cap team debt at about $1.5 billion and require the lead owner to hold at least 30% equity are limiting the buyer pool, which helps explain the softer interest despite valuations around $6.6–$6.7 billion.