Seahawks Secure Super Bowl Victory with Commanding Win Over Patriots
The Seattle Seahawks have been officially placed on the market just 10 days following their victory in American football's premier event.
Prior to Super Bowl 60, reports indicated that discussions were underway regarding the potential sale of the Seahawks, who subsequently defeated the New England Patriots to claim their second NFL championship.
Late owner Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft alongside Bill Gates, acquired the franchise in 1997, preventing its possible relocation to Southern California.
Allen witnessed the Seahawks' inaugural Super Bowl championship in 2014 but passed away in 2018 at age 65 due to complications from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
On Wednesday, his estate announced it has "commenced a formal sale process" for the franchise,
"consistent with Allen's directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all estate proceeds to philanthropy".
Forbes reports that Allen purchased the Seahawks for $194 million (£143.6 million), with the latest valuation placing the franchise at $6.7 billion (£5 billion), ranking it as the 14th most valuable NFL team.
The most recent NFL franchise sale involved the Washington Commanders, acquired in 2023 by a group led by Josh Harris for a record $6.05 billion (£4.5 billion).
This figure was surpassed last year when the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers were purchased for $10 billion (£7.5 billion), marking the highest price ever paid for a sports team globally.
In addition to the Seahawks, Allen owned the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Since his passing, his sister, Jody Allen, has served as executor of his estate and chairperson of both the Seahawks and Trail Blazers.
A sale of the Trail Blazers is currently underway, with Tom Dundon, owner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, having agreed to purchase the NBA team in a $4.25 billion (£3.3 billion) transaction.
The Allen estate has engaged investment bank Allen & Company and law firm Latham & Watkins to oversee the Seahawks' sale process.
Jody Allen accepted the Super Bowl trophy from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
