Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook have both denied recent reports suggesting they are interested in purchasing the National Football League (NFL) team, the Seattle Seahawks. In a rare joint message, the two tech leaders made it clear: they are not interested.
Reports of Interest in Seattle Seahawks
According to a report by Bloomberg, rumors surfaced last week linking Zuckerberg and Cook to the Seattle Seahawks, which is currently up for sale. The team is expected to fetch a price exceeding $10 billion. Front Office Sports initially reported that five sources indicated Zuckerberg was considering a bid, while four sources suggested Cook was separately weighing an offer. However, the identities of other potential bidders were not disclosed, and it remained unclear whether any formal offers had been made.
NFL Commissioner's Comments
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the sale during league meetings on March 31, stating: “There is no news to report. Since we last met, they are officially for sale. They hired a bank and are going to work with them, and there is a great deal of interest in that. That’s about all I know at this stage.”
Meta and Apple Issue Denials
A Meta spokesperson quickly refuted the claims, saying: “Glad we could intercept the rumors on this one: Mark is not making any investment or bid for the Seattle Seahawks.” Similarly, a person familiar with Apple CEO Tim Cook denied that he was making a bid for the team. Ben Horney, the author of the Front Office Sports story, initially stood by his report on X (formerly Twitter) but later issued a clarification: “Update: a source close to Apple tells @FOS the rumor of Cook's interest in the Seahawks is 'completely false.'”
Background on the Seattle Seahawks Sale
The sale of the Seattle Seahawks is expected to be the largest ever for an NFL franchise. The team is currently owned by the estate of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who died in 2018. Allen purchased the Seahawks for $194 million in 1997. His sister, Jody Allen, has been running the team as executor of the estate and is overseeing the sale of his assets to raise money for charity. The Seahawks won the league championship in the Super Bowl in February. This will be the third NFL franchise sold in recent years.
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