With the start of the NFL’s regular season drawing ever closer, there remains one question hanging over the head of the Seattle Seahawks’ organization: Who will our next owner be?
It’s a question that could soon have its answer. According to a report from Front Office Sports’ Ben Horney, the bidding process appears to be down to two options. One group vying for ownership of the Super Bowl champions is led by San Francisco 49ers minority stake owner, Vinod Khosla, while the other is being championed
by Boston Celtics minority owner Aditya Mittal and a former Celtics governor, Wyc Grousbeck.
Seahawks fans may want anyone associated with their vaunted NFC West rivals to stay far away from the franchise; however, there is a component to one of the groups that should bring a smile to their faces. Horney reports that at least one former Seahawks player is involved in one of the groups, though no specifics were mentioned in the article about which group or which player we might expect to see in a deal.
If Khosla is involved in purchasing the Seahawks, the family would be forced to sell their minority stake in the 49ers, which it acquired last spring. While these two groups appear to be the finalists, Horney says that a third suitor emerging is not out of the question.
The report from Horney keeps in line with the timeline discussed by NFL insider Ian Rapoport on the Pat McAfee Show in late May. Rapoport said in that appearance that the team could have a new ownership by August and that the sale could go for a record $10 billion.
A new owner would leave the Seahawks in an unprecedented situation, as the team has been owned by Paul Allen and his estate since 1997. With the team’s winning ways continuing for the last decade, a hopeful reality would see a new owner come in and make minimal changes to the operations. However, that isn’t always the case; just ask those rooting for the Portland Trail Blazers.
As fun as speculating about billionaires is, the Seahawks will make their debut on the field, new owner or not, in just under two months against the New England Patriots.
