Now, most NFL teams can afford the money and the Seahawks are not exception, but their ownership situation makes things more difficult. After owner Paul Allen passed away, ownership of the team passed onto his sister Jody Allen. She does have a mandate to sell the team and donate the proceeds of the sale to the charitable causes he supported.

That sale, however, doesn’t seem to be imminent, which could be a complicating factor. With the Sunday Ticket trial likely to go on for years, the payment will continue to be pushed back as well. Could that end up causing issues with the future sale in Seattle? Will a new owner, who will have just spent upward of $7 billion on the franchise, also want to pay a $450 million fine for infractions they had no part in?

None of this is imminent, but when you run a business, it’s necessary to consider all factors and have a plan for them. This will be something to monitor long-term for the Seahawks, as it’s more complicated for them than any other franchise.