SEATTLE — Bill Gates won’t be buying the Seattle Seahawks, the Microsoft co-founder said this week.

The Seahawks organization, run by fellow Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s sister Jody Allen, announced this month it was beginning the formal sale process of the team. The team’s price is expected to surpass $6 billion.

Though Gates never publicly said he was interested in purchasing the football team, his billionaire status, Seattle ties and connection with Allen, who owned the team until his 2018 death, automatically put Gates on a list of potential owners.

During a town hall with Gates Foundation employees this week, an employee asked directly whether Gates intended to buy the Seahawks. Gates said his billions are dedicated to the foundation.

“I noticed they only have men on their team, and I'm not sure I can go with that,” Gates joked, according to a recording obtained by The Seattle Times.

He said he hopes the team gets a good owner — and that Seattle gets a basketball team.

“This is a great city,” he said. “But my owning a sports team will not be a part of how I spend my time.”

———

Editor’s note: Microsoft Philanthropies and the Gates Foundation underwrite some Seattle Times journalism projects.

© 2026 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.