The group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton is still the favorite to purchase the Denver Broncos. However, another top contender could push the winning bid to a place Walton may not want to go.
The Broncos sale has been one of the more intriguing storylines of the 2022 NFL offseason. While it hasn’t gotten the same level of attention as the team’s acquisition of star quarterback Russell Wilson, it is a major happening on the business side of professional sports.
Next week will be pivotal in deciding which of the final four bidding groups could end up owning the franchise. That’s because those groups will have the opportunity to make one final revised bid that is strong enough to sway the organization’s current owners.
Of the four contenders, the group led by Walmart’s heir and billionaire Samuel Robson “Rob” Walton is viewed as the favorite to score the winning bid. However, new reports claim that while the race is Walton’s to lose, there is a real possibility he could.
New contender seemingly emerges in Denver Broncos sale
Sources told Pro Football Talk on Thursday that while the Walmart heir's group is the strongest contender, there are other legitimate competitors for the franchise. And that if those competitors push their bids above early estimates of $4.5 billion to well over $5 billion, it could force Walton to rethink his position on buying the team.
The site speculates that the group that could push their final bid to over $5 billion is led by billionaire investor Jose Feliciano. Feliciano’s consortium also includes Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, the same man who just purchased the hugely popular soccer club, Chelsea, for $4.5 billion.
Earlier this year, Boehly and Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter bought a 27% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers for a reported $1.24 billion. Their purchase pushed the Lakers’ total value to $4.6 billion and might be an indication of Boehly’s willingness to add to his consortium’s pot.
“If, as the source noted, Boehly was willing to acquire a non-controlling stake in the Lakers based on a franchise valuation of $4.6 billion, his group would surely go to $5 billion or more to get full control of the Broncos,” Mike Florio of PFT suggested.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the rest of the league’s owners are surely hoping that the final bid does reach over $5 billion and continues to add greater value to all NFL teams.
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