(Photos by Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks are officially one step closer to new ownership after NFL owners unanimously approved the franchise’s record-setting $9.612 billion sale to a group led by Vinod Khosla.
The vote took place Wednesday during the league’s one-day meeting in Atlanta. The transaction, which was agreed to in July, required approval from at least 24 of the NFL’s 32 owners. The unanimous vote clears a major hurdle, although the sale still needs to officially close before the Khosla-led group takes control.
Khosla Takes Over Reigning Super Bowl Champions
Khosla, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems and founder of Khosla Ventures, will become the Seahawks’ controlling owner alongside his wife, Neeru, and their son, Neal. He previously held a minority stake in the San Francisco 49ers but will relinquish that interest as part of the Seahawks transaction.
The timing of the purchase is particularly notable. Seattle is coming off a 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, giving the franchise its second championship.
“How often do you get to buy a franchise that just won the Super Bowl?” Khosla said Wednesday. “So we are incredibly lucky and humbled by this gift.”
Khosla also outlined his immediate goal for the franchise: maintaining its recent success.
“The task ahead is actually pretty simple — keep the winning streak alive, get another Super Bowl,” he said.
Record Sale Ends Allen Family’s Ownership
The $9.612 billion purchase price makes the Seahawks the most expensive NFL franchise ever sold, surpassing the $6.05 billion the Washington Commanders fetched in 2023.
Paul Allen purchased the Seahawks from Ken Behring for $194 million in 1997, helping prevent the franchise from relocating to Southern California. Following Allen’s death in 2018, his sister, Jody Allen, assumed control of the Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers while overseeing the estate’s plans to eventually sell both teams.
During the Allen family’s 29-year stewardship, Seattle reached four Super Bowls, won two championships and made the playoffs 17 times. The Seahawks also recorded 268 regular-season victories during that span, the fifth-most in the NFL.
Goodell Praises Khosla Family
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell praised the Allen family for its stewardship of the franchise and expressed confidence in the Khoslas as the Seahawks’ future owners.
Goodell also pointed to the family’s experience in technology and innovation, as well as its understanding of the NFL and Seattle community, as positive factors.
The Seahawks will likely remain in Seattle. The franchise has a lease agreement with Lumen Field through 2032, with three additional 10-year options.
Khosla said the stadium is “iconic” and an important part of the Seahawks’ identity, while acknowledging that the new ownership group will take time to learn from the team’s management and the broader NFL community.
The transaction will likely close before Seattle begins its 2026 season against the Patriots on Sept. 9, potentially marking the beginning of a new era for the franchise.
