The Seattle Seahawks are set to change hands after the estate of the late Paul Allen reached a formal agreement to sell the franchise to an ownership group led by the Khosla family. The deal, valued at approximately $9.612 billion, marks the highest price ever paid for an NFL team, surpassing the previous record set by the Washington Commanders in 2023. The sale is a significant milestone for the league and follows a competitive bidding process initiated by the Allen estate earlier this year.
Vinod Khosla, a prominent venture capitalist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, leads the purchasing group. While the family will become the controlling owners, NFL documents have identified his wife, Neeru Khosla, as the controlling owner to satisfy league equity requirements. As part of the transition, the Khosla family is required to divest their existing minority stake in the San Francisco 49ers, as NFL rules prohibit ownership interests in multiple franchises.
Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, purchased the Seahawks in 1997 for $194 million, a move that kept the team in Seattle. Following his death in 2018, his sister, Jody Allen, managed the estate with a directive to eventually sell the professional sports teams and donate the proceeds to charity. The Seahawks, who recently won Super Bowl LX, are expected to remain in Seattle under the new ownership.
The agreement is currently subject to customary due diligence and final ratification by NFL team owners. A special meeting is expected to be held in late August, where a vote of at least 24 of the 32 owners will be required to officially approve the transaction. Until the sale is finalized, the team will continue its preparations for the upcoming season under its current leadership structure.