Imagine, for a moment, that you have somehow become lucky enough to own a house in an incredibly valuable, isolated neighborhood of 31 other homes. Imagine, now, that your longtime neighbors see shifting life circumstances and decide to move out of their home. And imagine, finally, that a new family gets giddy over that “For Sale” sign and decides to repeatedly outbid competitors to pay top dollar for that house.

Naturally, the value of your neighboring home would rise. This, according to sports-business expert Patrick Rishe, is analogous to the current economic case of the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks — separated by slightly over 1,000 miles across the American West but approximate neighbors in sheer franchise value.

“When a franchise sells, it really kind of resets the market almost instantly for all the other markets,” said Rishe, a former Forbes contributor and the director of the sports business program at Washington University in St. Louis.

How Seahawks’ sale boosts Broncos

Last weekend, as first reported by ESPN, the Seahawks were bought by a group led by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla for a league-record-setting $9.6 billion, a number longtime sports-valuation expert Drew Dormeiler told The Post was likely inflated due to “competitive bidding.” Just four years ago, the Walton-Penner ownership group bought the Broncos at less than half that price, for a then-record $4.65 billion. Valuation of an NFL franchise isn’t merely as simple as projecting off established price points — but several economic experts The Post spoke with agreed the Walton-Penner’s investment in the Broncos has seen massive appreciation since their 2022 purchase.

And Denver’s franchise valuation could rise comfortably into the top third of the NFL, too, if ownership’s plans for a new mixed-use stadium district at Burnham Yard come to fruition in the coming decade.

“The math on that is, what something is worth is what someone’s willing to pay,” Rishe said. “And the Broncos aren’t going to go on the market anytime soon, obviously. But I would say that it’s safe to say that the team’s new franchise value at this particular moment, is going to be pretty close to 9.6 billion, because they were viewed in the marketplace as being comparable in terms of market size and brand strength relative to the Seahawks.”

In 2025, Forbes ranked the Broncos No. 13 and Seahawks No. 14 in NFL team valuations, at a respective estimated $6.8 and $6.7 billion. Neighbors. And it takes just a basic understanding of real-estate principles, as Rishe pointed, to understand what that means for Denver’s franchise.

“For the Seahawks to sell for 9.6 billion,” Rishe said, “this immediately skyrockets the Broncos’ franchise value compared to the estimate Forbes produced last year.”

In the last 15 years — since Stan Kroenke became the controlling owner of the Rams in 2010 and Shad Khan took over the Jaguars in 2011 for similar, sub-$1 billion prices — NFL franchises have compounded exponentially in sale value. According to decorated economist Andrew Zimbalist, there are three general points contributing to this inflation: the country’s ever-widening wealth disparity, the popularity of the NFL, and the league’s monopoly on the sport of American football.

Seattle – Sunday will start off with a few morning clouds, especially along the coast.  As the high pressure ridge settles in, the clouds will burn off throughout the day, leaving behind sunnier skies by the afternoon. 

Thursday’s storms ignited several fires east of the Cascades.  Areas closest to the fires will see smoky skies.  Air quality will be impacted, with some seeing levels reaching “moderate” to “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”  Air quality will remain good across Western Washington. 

More smoke will be noticed in the sky in Central and Eastern Washington near active fires. 

Sunday will be another picture-perfect day with near normal highs warming into the upper 70s and nearing the 80s.  Warmer temperatures in the 90s are forecast once you cross the Cascades.

Another beautiful day with plenty of sunshine and near normal highs. 

Expect a big warm-up by Tuesday and Wednesday as afternoon highs top the low 90s.  There are early indications that some more monsoonal moisture may arrive on Wednesday or Thursday.  This could bring a chance for additional thunderstorms.  Activity won’t be as wide-spread as it was last week.  Storms that develop would possibly stay in the mountains. 

Afternoon highs will be heating by Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Thomas Michael Hardy, Sr.

OBITUARY

Thomas Michael Hardy, Sr., 56, of San Diego, California, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2026, from complications associated with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Born on July 21, 1969, in Phoenix, Arizona, to Constance and Donald Hardy, Tom lived a life defined by faith, family, adventure, service, and friendship. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning from the University of Arizona and later a master’s degree in Construction Management from Colorado State University.

Tom was an Eagle Scout, an accomplishment that reflected the values he carried throughout his life. Scouting was one of his greatest passions, and he found immense fulfillment in mentoring scouts. He especially enjoyed the frequent backpacking trips with his sons as a way to build character, confidence, friendships, and lifelong memories.

Throughout his career, Tom balanced his experience in commercial real estate with his love of construction. He worked for The Weitz Company in Colorado, Saia Enterprises in Phoenix, and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in San Diego. He was especially proud of his role in the construction of the Carter Keep U.S. Courthouse. He was respected for his integrity, professionalism, and the relationships he built along the way.

Tom will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor, unwavering faith, and easygoing spirit. He had a gift for putting others at ease, often diffusing difficult situations with patience, kindness, and a well-timed joke. An adventurer at heart, Tom embraced life with enthusiasm. He loved skiing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, road cycling, mountain biking, hiking, tennis, the beach, and playing guitar. He was always ready for the next adventure, especially if it could be shared with family or friends.

Above all, Tom’s greatest joy and proudest accomplish- ment was his family. He was a devoted husband and father whose children were the love of his life. Whether cheering them on, sharing adventures, offering quiet encouragement, or simply enjoying time together, Tom treasured every moment with his family. His love, wisdom, and steady presence will remain with them always.

Tom is survived by his loving wife of nearly 23 years, Michelle Welde Hardy; his children, Thomas “TJ” Michael Hardy, Jr., Matthew Hardy, Kathryn Hardy, and Elizabeth “Ellie” Hardy; his parents, Constance and Donald Hardy; his sister and brother-in-law, Pamela and Tim Ronalter; his brother and sister-in-law, Jeffrey and Ellen Hardy; and many beloved in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends whose lives were enriched by knowing him.

A Funeral Mass celebrating Tom’s life will be held on Tuesday, July 21, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in El Cajon, California.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made in Tom’s memory to one of the following organizations: You and Me Aging and Dementia, Lorenzo’s House, Alzheimer’s San Diego, or For Their Thoughts Foundation.

Though Alzheimer’s gradually took so much from Tom, it never diminished the faith, kindness, courage, and love that defined him throughout his life. He leaves behind a legacy of compassion, integrity, adventure, and unwavering devotion to family. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing and loving him.