The Seattle Seahawks, winners of Super Bowl LVIII, are preparing to change ownership.
AFP reported on Thursday that the Seattle franchise officially initiated the sale process just ten days after clinching their Super Bowl victory.
The Seahawks secured their championship by defeating the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LVIII at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 9.
This marks Seattle’s first Super Bowl triumph in 10 years, bringing their total championship tally to two.
The euphoria of victory was short-lived as the team now seeks new ownership.
While rumors of a potential Seahawks sale had been swirling, team ownership had previously denied any intentions to sell, stating emphatically before the Super Bowl that the team was not on the market.
However, in a surprising turn of events following their Super Bowl victory, ownership reversed course. They announced that, in accordance with the late Paul Allen’s wishes, they would proceed with the sale to fulfill his philanthropic vision.
Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, acquired the Seahawks in 1997 for 194 million USD. Following his passing in 2018, his sister Jody Allen assumed control of the franchise.
Local media outlets report that negotiations for the Seahawks’ sale are already underway, with the process expected to continue throughout the offseason.
The franchise’s current valuation ranges between 7 billion and 8 billion USD.
For context, the most recent National Football League (NFL) franchise sale occurred in 2023 when an investment group led by Josh Harris, co-founder of Apollo Global Management, purchased the Washington Commanders for a whopping 6.05 billion USD.
It’s worth noting that Allen’s sports portfolio also included ownership of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Portland Trail Blazers.
Prior to finalizing the Seahawks’ sale, Allen reached an agreement to sell the Portland franchise to Thomas Dundon, owner of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Carolina Hurricanes, for 4.25 billion USD.