The bidding process for the Seattle Seahawks has narrowed to two leading groups, according to a report from Front Office Sports on Thursday.
One front-running group is led by Aditya Mittal, CEO of ArcelorMittal and a minority owner of the Boston Celtics, and former Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck. A second group is led by Vinod Khosla, a San Francisco 49ers investor and co-founder of Sun Microsystems.
Front Office Sports reported that one of these two groups includes at least one former Seahawks player, though the player’s identity and specific group affiliation were not disclosed. While these two groups are the current finalists, one source cautioned that a new bidder could still emerge.
Potential Valuation and Bidders
The sale is expected to be the largest ever for an NFL franchise, potentially surpassing the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders in 2023. Irwin Kishner, co-chair of the sports law group at Herrick Feinstein, told Front Office Sports he would not be surprised if the price reached approximately $9.5 billion.
The list of bidders has decreased since the first round of bids were due on June 29, according to Bloomberg and Front Office Sports. Todd Boehly, chairman and owner of Chelsea Football Club, and Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos are no longer in the running. At least one other unidentified bidder has also been removed from consideration.
Ownership Background
The estate of Paul Allen announced the sale of the Seahawks in February, following a directive from Allen to sell the team and the Portland Trail Blazers for philanthropic purposes. The NBA approved the sale of the Trail Blazers to a group led by Tom Dundon in late March for a reported $4 billion.
Regarding the finalists, Sportico reported in May that because Mittal lives in London, Grousbeck would effectively operate the franchise and reside in Seattle part-time. Khosla, who purchased a 3.1% stake in the 49ers in May 2025, would be required to sell that equity if his bid for the Seahawks is successful.
The estate of Paul Allen told Front Office Sports there is currently “no news to share about the sale process.”
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