The Seattle Seahawks are set to get a new owner after tech billionaire Vinod Khosla reached an agreement to buy the NFL franchise for $9.6 billion.
According to the Allen estate, the Khosla family will become the team’s new controlling owners.
Indian-American tech billionaire Vinod Khosla to buy Seahawks for $9.6 billion (Credit: Vinod Khosla/X)Who is Vinod Khosla and how did his bid win?
Earlier reports had identified Khosla and Mittal as the two leading contenders in the Seahawks sale process.
In a statement released by the Seahawks and the Allen estate, Khosla said: “We are honored to be entrusted as the next stewards of the Seattle Seahawks.
The Seattle Seahawks are set to get a new owner after tech billionaire Vinod Khosla reached an agreement to buy the NFL franchise for $9.6 billion. The deal, first reported by Sportico, would make it one of the biggest sports team sales ever and the most expensive control sale in NFL history. Khosla is buying the reigning Super Bowl champions from the estate of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The sale still needs approval from NFL owners before it becomes official. According to the Allen estate, the Khosla family will become the team’s new controlling owners. Indian-American tech billionaire Vinod Khosla to buy Seahawks for $9.6 billion (Credit: Vinod Khosla/X)
Who is Vinod Khosla and how did his bid win? Khosla, who was born in India, co-founded Sun Microsystems in 1982 and later launched venture capital firm Khosla Ventures. Forbes estimates his net worth at about $13.7 billion. Over the years, his firm has backed companies including DoorDash, Affirm and Opendoor.
Sportico reported that Khosla’s group beat several competing bidders, including a group led by billionaire Aditya Mittal. Earlier reports had identified Khosla and Mittal as the two leading contenders in the Seahawks sale process.
In a statement released by the Seahawks and the Allen estate, Khosla said: “We are honored to be entrusted as the next stewards of the Seattle Seahawks. We look forward to building on the winning legacy Paul Allen created and to earning the trust of the Seahawks organization and fans everywhere.”
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Paul Allen estate completes long-planned Seahawks sale The sale marks the end of an era for the franchise. Paul Allen bought the Seahawks in 1997 and owned the team until his death in 2018. Since then, the franchise has been overseen by his estate, with his sister Jody Allen serving as executor.
Allen’s will directed that his sports assets eventually be sold, with the proceeds going to charitable causes. The Portland Trail Blazers, another major asset in the estate, were also sold recently.
There are still questions about how the Seahawks purchase will be financed. Details of the ownership structure have not been made public. NFL rules limit team debt to $1.5 billion and require the controlling owner to hold at least a 30% stake. Khosla also owns a minority share in the San Francisco 49ers and would need to sell that interest once the Seahawks transaction is completed.
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For now, the agreement signals a major ownership change for one of the NFL’s most valuable franchises and opens a new chapter in Seahawks history.
