They’re not “finalists” yet, but they’re getting there.
Via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, five groups have submitted proposed amendments to a potential contract for sale of the Denver Broncos. A second round of formal bids is coming in June.
Lawyers for the five interested groups were asked to make any proposed changes to formal agreements, a tactic aimed at identifying potential dealbreakers early.
The groups are led by Walmart heir Rob Walton, Dodgers investor Todd Boehly, and 76ers co-owner Josh Harris. Magic Johnson is part of the Harris group. The other two groups have largely been kept anonymous however, Mike Klis of 9News.com reported recently that media mogul Byron Allen fronts one of the remaining two.
It’s expected that a winner will be selected before training camps open, and that final negotiations will stretch through the preseason. The goal remains to havre a new owner in place by the start of the regular season.
We’ve previously reported that, by the time the final haggling concludes, the price to be paid will be at least $5 billion. Whatever the final number, it’ll be the richest transaction for an American sports team. And the number, for NFL franchises, will likely keep going up.