Report: 2 front-runners emerge in Seahawks sale process

Two front-runners have emerged in the bidding process for the Seattle Seahawks, according to a report from Front Office Sports on Thursday.

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One of the leading candidates is the group led by current Boston Celtics minority owner/Indian steel titan Aditya Mittal and former Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck. The other is the group lead by Sun Microsystems co-founder/San Francisco 49ers investor Vinod Khosla. Sportico initially reported in early May that both groups were preparing bids.

FOS stated that, according to one source, the Seahawks’ sale is down to just those two groups.

However, FOS said another source cautioned that even if those are the two finalists at the moment, it’s still possible a new bidder could emerge.

FOS also reported that one of the two groups includes at least one former Seahawks player. However, the player’s identity was not disclosed, and it’s unclear which of the two groups they are with, according to the report.

The estate of Paul Allen, which announced in February that it was putting the Seahawks up for sale, told FOS “there is no news to share about the sale process.”

Who’s reportedly out of the running

Bloomberg reported last month that the first round of bids were due June 29. The list of bidders has been whittled down since then, according to FOS.

FOS reported that Todd Boehly – the chairman and owner of Chelsea Football Club and a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Sparks ownership groups – is “no longer in the running.” Boehly had been weighing a bid, according to a report from Semafor in June.

FOS also reported that Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos removed himself from consideration.

In addition, at least one other unidentified bidder submitted an offer and has been taken out of the running, according to FOS.

Sale could generate ‘startling numbers’

Similar to other reports, FOS said the Seahawks’ sale is expected to be the largest ever for an NFL franchise, surpassing the $6.05 billion the Washington Commanders sold for back in 2023.

“I think we’re going to see some startling numbers,” Irwin Kishner, co-chair of the sports law group at Herrick Feinstein, told FOS. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they hit something like $9.5 billion.”

More on the 2 front-runners

Mittal, 50, is the CEO of ArcelorMittal, one of the world’s largest steel and mining companies. He succeeded his father, Lakshmi Mittal, as CEO of the Luxembourg-based company in 2021. The Mittal family’s net worth was estimated by Forbes at $17.2 billion back in 2017.

Grousbeck, 65, was the lead owner of the Celtics from 2002-25. During that span, the Celtics won two NBA titles and made four NBA Finals appearances. Back in May, Sportico reported that, since Mittal lives in London, Grousbeck would reside in Seattle part-time and effectively operate the franchise.

Khosla, 71, is worth approximately $13.8 billion, according to Forbes. According to The Athletic, he bought a 3.1% stake in the 49ers in May 2025. If his bid for the Seahawks is successful, he would have to sell his 49ers equity.

Additional background

The Allen estate announced in February that it was putting the Seahawks up for sale, less than two weeks after the franchise won its second Super Bowl title. A sale of the Seahawks has been expected since the 2018 death of Allen, who made it a directive for his trust to sell both the Seahawks and the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, with proceeds to be donated to philanthropic efforts.

The NBA approved the Trail Blazers’ sale to a group led by investor Tom Dundon in late March. The franchise reportedly sold for $4 billion.

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