Khosla Family Agrees to Buy Seattle Seahawks for Record $9.6 Billion

The Estate of Paul G. Allen has entered into a formal agreement to sell the Seattle Seahawks to an ownership group led by Vinod Khosla for $9.612 billion. This transaction marks the highest sale price for an NFL franchise in history, surpassing the $6.05 billion previously paid for the Washington Commanders. The deal follows the team's victory in Super Bowl LX and adheres to the late Microsoft co-founder's wishes to liquidate assets for philanthropic purposes. All proceeds from the sale will be donated to charity.

Neeru Khosla is designated as the controlling owner, while Neal Khosla will hold a significant leadership role. To comply with NFL rules prohibiting multiple franchise ownerships, the Khosla family must relinquish their 3.1% minority stake in the San Francisco 49ers. The acquisition was reportedly funded using earnings from Khosla's early investment in OpenAI.

The sale remains subject to review by the NFL finance committee and requires approval from at least 24 of the 32 league owners, with a vote expected on August 26. Under the agreement, the Seahawks will remain in Seattle and maintain their lease at Lumen Field through 2032. This follows a similar move by the Allen estate to sell the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers to an investment group led by Tom Dundon in March.