NFL owners unanimously approve $9.6 billion sale of Seahawks to Vinod Khosla group
The NFL owners voted to ratify the record-setting $9.612 billion purchase of the Seattle Seahawks by a consortium led by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, pending closing before the team’s season opener.
NFL owners voted unanimously at a league meeting in Atlanta to approve the $9.612 billion sale of the Seattle Seahawks from Paul Allen’s estate to a consortium headed by Vinod Khosla, a limited partner of the San Francisco 49ers. The transaction, the highest price ever paid for an NFL franchise, requires ratification by at least 24 of the 32 owners and was expected to clear the vote.
Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the approval and thanked the Allen family for their stewardship of the team. He also praised the new owners for acquiring the franchise shortly after its Super Bowl win.
"As Roger said, it's pretty simple when the team is one functioning as well as it is today," Khosla said. "How often do you get to buy a franchise that just won the Super Bowl? So we are incredibly lucky and humbled by this gift, I would say, from the Allen Trust."
Khosla will divest his 49ers stake as part of the agreement, and the sale is expected to close before the Seahawks open the season on Sept. 9 against the New England Patriots. He described the upcoming challenge as maintaining the team’s success and taking a long-term approach.
"The task ahead is actually pretty simple -- keep the winning streak alive, get another Super Bowl. That simple. In general, our approach is generally going to be long-term focused. So, keep winning, take a long-term approach and learn a lot."
The ownership group includes Khosla’s wife Neeru and son Neal, who is expected to assume a leadership role. Goodell noted the group’s familiarity with the league, technology expertise, and community focus as factors that make the deal attractive.
"They know our league well, they understand the passion of the NFL, they understand the Seattle community ... So that makes this transaction particularly attractive to all of us," Goodell said.
The sale follows the Allen estate’s decision to put the team on the market after Paul Allen’s death in 2018, marking the first time a Super Bowl champion has been listed for sale in the modern era. The previous record for an NFL team was $6.05 billion for the Washington Commanders in 2023.
Information from league sources and public statements was used in this report.