NFL Rumors: Denver Broncos Sale Price Is Most Expensive In US Sports History

The final sale price of the Denver Broncos is expected to set a new record for U.S. sports franchises by a wide margin. Bids to purchase the NFL team are due by late Monday afternoon, the highest of which is rumored to be $4.5 billion.

The winning bid for the Broncos will go to Rob Walton, an heir to the Walmart fortune, according to Forbes. The report states that Walton will buy the Broncos for $4.5 billion, nearly doubling the sale price of the last NFL team that was sold.

David Tepper purchased the Carolina Panthers for an NFL-record $2.275 billion in 2018. Less than two years ago, Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets for $2.4 billion, setting the record for a standalone purchase of an American sports team.

Executive Vice Chairman of Alibaba Joe Tsai bought the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center for a combined $3.3 billion in 2019. The Nets were valued at around $2.35 billion in the sale.

Take note, readers: bids aren't due until 5pm ET today, and they haven't actually been submitted yet. It's an auction with several viable contenders, and the final price is subject to several difficult to predict variables.
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) June 6, 2022

While reports Rob Walton has already won Broncos bid at $4.5B are interesting, and may eventually be true, the current situation is 2nd-rd bids among 4 groups won’t be made till later today (by 3 pm MDT). Process moving along but I’ve been told no owner has been picked. #9sports https://t.co/DwKDikLY9N
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) June 6, 2022

Four groups are expected to enter bids in the Broncos’ sale. Other reports indicate that there’s still a chance for a group to exceed Walton’s price.

The Broncos’ sale will shatter the previous record and exceed Denver’s previous valuation. Prior to the 2021 season, Forbes estimated the Broncos to have a value of $3.75 billion, which ranked 10th among all NFL teams.

The Broncos have not made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 in February 2016. Denver is considered to have a strong shot to reach the playoffs after trading for quarterback Russell Wilson.