The parade of potential owners for the Broncos continues, with one of the richest men in the world kicking tires on buying the only NFL team currently for sale.
Per multiple reports, WalMart heir and former company chairman Rob Walton visited the team on Monday. He’s the second potential buyer who has made the trip so far.
Walton has a net worth of $69.5 billion. He would become the most wealthy NFL owner, by far, eclipsing current standard bearer David Tepper by more than $50 billion.
That money will come in handy. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the final price for the team is now expected to be north of $5 billion.
There are currently five groups bidding for the team. There could be more. Via Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, Walton, 76ers co-owner Josh Harris, and Todd Boehly (who is in the process of buying Chelsea of the Premier League) are the known contenders. Two other groups are proceeding anonymously, for now.
The Broncos hope to have the sale finalize by the start of the season. Transactions of this nature tend to take as long as they take. If, ultimately, two or more groups get into a bidding war that requires time to resolve itself, the delay becomes extremely beneficial to the members of the late Pat Bowlen’s family, who will divide the eventual proceeds.
The values of NFL teams are rising, and will continue to do so. At one point, the Broncos were expected to be sold for a number in the range of $4 billion. It’s already spiked to $5 billion. By the time the paperwork is signed, it could go even higher.