The NFL’s newest billion-dollar opportunity just hit the market on back of Super Bowl LX

Have you ever dreamed of owning an NFL franchise that just lifted the Super Bowl? For “only” a few billion dollars, that dream could now become reality. That might well be the tagline announcing that the Seattle Seahawks are officially up for sale. Less than two weeks after defeating the New England Patriots to claim the Super Bowl title, the franchise is seeking a buyer in what could become a record-setting deal. The most expensive sale in NFL history remains the Washington Commanders at $6.05 billion in 2023, while the highest figure in US sports belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers, sold for $10 billion. The question now is how high the value of one of the hottest franchises in the most lucrative sports league on the planet might climb.

The decision to begin the sale process simply fulfills the wishes of the team’s late owner, Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who died in 2018 at 65 due to complications from illness. After his death, ownership of both the Seahawks and the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers passed to the Paul G. Allen Estate, overseen by his sister Jody Allen. In his will, Allen directed that his sports holdings be sold and the proceeds devoted to philanthropy. The Trail Blazers are already awaiting final confirmation of a sale to an investment group, as announced in September, and now the reigning Super Bowl champions are following suit.

“The executor of Paul G. Allen’s estate has announced the launch of a formal sales process for the NFL franchise Seattle Seahawks, consistent with Allen’s directive to eventually sell his sports assets and dedicate all proceeds to philanthropic causes. The estate has retained the investment bank Allen & Company and the law firm Latham & Watkins to lead the sales process, which is expected to continue through the 2026 preseason. NFL team owners will then need to ratify any final purchase agreement,” the Seahawks said Wednesday afternoon, signaling the start of what could be a lengthy process expected to conclude before the 2026 season begins in late summer.

An uncertain and potentially complicated preseason now looms in Washington state, although the franchise’s leadership structure remains unchanged, with John Schneider as general manager, Chuck Arnold as president and Mike Macdonald as head coach. The ownership transition coincides with a challenging free agency period, as key contributors to the championship run – including Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, Boye Mafe, Rashid Shaheed and Josh Jobe – are out of contract and seeking significant new deals. The team must also replace offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who has taken over as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

No official valuation has been disclosed. Paul Allen purchased the Seahawks in 1997 for $194 million, and the franchise’s lease at Lumen Field in Seattle runs through 2032, with options to extend. What is widely expected, however, is another record-setting figure – at least within the NFL, where each recent sale has set a new benchmark. In 2022, the Denver Broncos were sold for $4.25 billion to a consortium that included Lewis Hamilton, and a year later the Washington Commanders broke the $6 billion barrier. Across US sports, only the Boston Celtics at $6.1 billion and the aforementioned Lakers sale surpass those numbers.

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