Sources: Seahawks sale drawing softer-than-expected interest - ESPN

Although potential buyers for the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are starting to emerge, the franchise hasn't generated the interest the NFL hoped for when the estate of Paul G. Allen put the team up for sale in February, according to an owner, two team executives and another executive with direct knowledge of the state of the sale.

«It's soft,» a team owner said of the market for the Seahawks.

«There isn't as much action as there was with Denver and Washington,» another executive said, referring to the most recent past two franchise sales.

The sources who spoke to ESPN said the situation was fluid but added that there are doubts among NFL owners and executives about whether the Seahawks sale — after sports business insiders speculated that it would spark a bidding war and that the franchise would fetch up to $11 billion — will eclipse the $10 billion mark. They said they believe that the team will sell for slightly above $9 billion, which would still be a record price for an NFL team.

A league spokesperson declined comment. A spokesperson for the Allen estate told ESPN that «there is no news to share about the sale process,» and a Seahawks spokesperson deferred to the estate's statement.

Valuations for sports teams have exploded in recent years. In 2022, a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion. In 2023, a group led by Josh Harris paid $6.05 billion for the Commanders. Last year, the Buss family sold majority ownership in the Los Angeles Lakers at a $10 billion valuation, and last month, Lin Bin, the co-founder and vice chairman of Xiaomi, purchased a 1% stake in the Miami Dolphins at a record $12.5 billion valuation.

The slow process for Seattle, so far at least, is