The tech world’s ownership of the Seattle Seahawks may continue even after Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s estate sells the reigning Super Bowl champions.
As reported by Front Office Sports, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s soon-to-be-retired CEO Tim Cook are both reportedly interested in buying the 51-year-old franchise coming off its second NFL crown. Zuckerberg is considerably wealthier than Cook with a reported $206 billion in personal assets compared to the Apple CEO’s mere $3 billion.
Allen & Co., the bank handling the sales process, declined to comment to FOS. Meta and Apple have not responded to The Daily Mail’s requests for comment.
The Seahawks have been in the Allen family since 1997, when Paul Allen bought the team for $194million from then-owner Ken Behring. But the co-founder of Microsoft died in 2018 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 65.
Allen’s sister, Jody, has led the Seahawks and the NBA team he owned, the Portland Trail Blazers, since his death. But Allen left a directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all estate proceeds to philanthropy. The Trail Blazers were sold last September to an investment group led by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon for around $4billion.
Before the recent Super Bowl success for the Seahawks, Sportico gave the franchise an estimated value of $6.59 billion. But after winning February’s Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, it is much harder to predict what price the team could fetch.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold holds the Lombardi Trophy after a parade
Zuckerberg is reportedly interested in buying the Seattle Seahawks, according to FOS
Tim Cook is expected to retire in September, but is also reportedly interested in the team
ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter wrote on X that the deal ‘is expected to set a new record for the price of a sports franchise.’
The last NFL team to be sold was the Washington Commanders, when a group led by NBA great Magic Johnson and billionaire 76ers owner Josh Harris paid $6.05 billion for the franchise in 2023.
The most expensive sale in US sports history was that of the Los Angeles Lakers, who were sold last year by the Buss family to Mark Walker for around $10 billion.
The Seahawks recently drafted Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price with the 32nd pick in last week’s NFL Draft to replace Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
