Aditya Mittal, a member of one of India’s richest families and an investor in the Boston Celtics, along with former Celtics control owner Wyc Grousbeck, are preparing a bid for the NFL champion Seattle Seahawks, according to multiple people familiar with the process.
Mittal contributed about $1 billion to the 2025 Celtics takeover, his first major move into U.S. sports. Mittal and Grousbeck were the only signatures on the letter of interest submitted to Allen & Company, which was hired to handle the sale, according to the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. Since Mittal lives in London, Grousbeck would reside in Seattle part-time and effectively operate the franchise. They are the first bidders to be publicly identified.
Mittal and Grousbeck declined to comment, as did a rep for Allen & Company. A representative for the Seahawks said in an email that there was “no news to share” about the process.
The Seahawks are worth $6.59 billion, according to Sportico, but the team is expected to sell for quite a bit more. The most expensive NFL team ever purchased in a control sale is the Washington Commanders ($6.05 billion), while the Los Angeles Lakers are the most expensive sports team ever sold in a control sale ($10 billion). A minority stake in the parent company of the Miami Dolphins recently sold to a Chinese billionaire at a $12.5 billion valuation.
Mittal is the son of Lakshmi Mittal, who serves as executive chairman of $62 billion-in-revenue ArcelorMittal, one of the world’s largest steel and mining companies. Lakshmi is worth $30.1 billion, according to Forbes. Earlier this week he led a group that reached a deal to buy the Rajasthan Royals, an Indian cricket franchise, for about $1.65 billion (INR 15,660 crore).
Aditya Mittal graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. In 2021, he succeeded his father as CEO of ArcelorMittal.
New NFL owners are heavily restricted in how their financing can come together. There is a $1.5 billion debt limit, and the control owner must hold a minimum of 30% of the equity. Institutional funds can own 10%, and the total group cannot exceed 24 minority owners.
The Seahawks are being sold by the estate of late owner Paul Allen, who died in 2018. Allen’s will called for his sports assets, which included the Seahawks and the NBA‘s Portland Trail Blazers, to be sold to benefit charitable causes. His sister Jody Allen, the executor of his will and trust, has run the teams in his absence.
The Trail Blazers were recently sold for $4.1 billion to a group led by Tom Dundon.