Seattle Seahawks.
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Will Seahawks' new owner move the team from Seattle? Experts explain the likelihood of a SuperSonics situation happening.
On Wednesday, the Seattle Seahawks announced that the franchise was officially starting the process of being sold. The team dropped the news less than two weeks after beating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, with a 29-13 final score.
One of the big questions after the announcement from followers of the team is, “Will the Seattle Seahawks’ new owner move the team?”
It’s understandable why those in Seattle are sensitive to this type of issue. Back in 2008, the team’s NBA team, the Seattle SuperSonics, relocated to Oklahoma City, and now, they’re the Oklahoma City Thunder. So, the Seahawks haven’t had a team in the NBA since. Could that happen with the NFL and Seahawks?
Experts Weighs In on If the Seattle Seahawks Will Move
So, will the Seahawks move from Seattle? A report from KING 5 Seattle sheds light on the answer.
In the video, the KING 5’s discusses talking to a sports business expert, Dr. Natalie Michelle Welch of Seattle University, who says that, according to her research, “five years from now, the team could look a little different, but will almost certainly stay here in Seattle.”
“I think it’s very unlikely that someone will come in who has any plan to move the team or any plan to disrupt what’s already been contracted out,” she says in the report, “especially at this high point of having the Super Bowl champions and having a coach locked in, several players locked in, leadership people locked in.”
The report adds that NFL leadership rules are strict, and that should also keep any negative suitors away.
So, for now, it appears the team should, by all means, stay safely in Seattle. Of course, promises and contracts can be broken, but all signs point to the new owner wanting to preserve what’s already working.
Seattle Seahawks Changed Their Story on Team Ownership
In late January, before the Super Bowl, the Paul Allen estate publicly issued a statement saying the team wasn’t for sale. So, they changed course quickly.
“We don’t comment on rumors or speculation, and the team is not for sale,” a spokesman for the estate said on January 30, according to CBS News, going against reports that the team was for sale. “We’ve already said that will change at some point per Paul’s wishes, but I have no news to share. Our focus right now is winning the Super Bowl and completing the sale of the Portland Trail Blazers in the coming months.”
The Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, of course, were owned by the estate of Paul G. Allen, as the ex-owner of both franchises died of cancer in 2018. His sister, Jody, has controlled both teams in the years following his passing.
As for the team’s official statement, they shared online, “The Estate of Paul G. Allen today announced it has commenced a formal sale process for the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise, consistent with Allen’s directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all Estate proceeds to philanthropy.”
“The Estate has selected investment bank Allen & Company and law firm Latham & Watkins to lead the sale process,” the statement continued, “which is estimated to continue through the 2026 off-season. NFL owners must then ratify a final purchase agreement.”