Seahawks Sale to Khosla Family Closes at Record $9.612 Billion

The Seattle Seahawks said Thursday that the sale of the franchise to the Khosla family has officially closed, completing a reported $9.612 billion deal that multiple news outlets, including The Associated Press, described as a record price for an NFL team.

The closing finalizes a months-long ownership transition for one of the league’s most prominent franchises and transfers control of the reigning Super Bowl champions from the Estate of Paul G. Allen to the Khosla family. The team announced the closing in an official release Sept. 3.

The process began Feb. 18, when the Allen estate said it was formally putting the team up for sale in keeping with Paul Allen’s directive that his sports holdings eventually be sold and the proceeds directed to philanthropy. The estate and the Khosla-led group then entered into a formal sale agreement on July 11. NFL owners unanimously approved the transaction Aug. 26, according to league coverage of the owners’ meeting, clearing the way for Thursday’s closing.

The Seahawks said the new leadership structure will place Silicon Valley investor and Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla in the role of chair. Neeru Khosla will serve as controlling owner and president of the Seahawks Charitable Foundation, and Neal Khosla will be vice chair. The team said the family will be introduced publicly at an 11 a.m. PT news conference Sept. 9 at Lumen Field.

“We are honored and excited to begin this next chapter,” the Khosla family said in a statement released by the team. “The Seahawks are known for their championship culture, winning football, and a deep connection to the 12s and the Pacific Northwest. We look forward to engaging with the Seattle community and building upon the legacy and traditions that make this franchise so special.”

At the league meeting last month, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he had “tremendous confidence” that the new owners would be “tremendous caretakers of the Seattle Seahawks, the organization and the great partnership they have with the community.” Vinod Khosla, speaking in league coverage after the vote, underscored the rarity of the opportunity: “How often do you get to buy a franchise that just won the Super Bowl?”

The sale closes a chapter that began with Allen’s stewardship of the club. Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, bought the Seahawks in 1997 for $194 million. The estate said when it launched the sale process that the move was consistent with Allen’s long-stated philanthropic instructions.

The team also said the Khosla family will be joined by a broader investor group, though ownership percentages were not disclosed. The family previously held a minority stake in the San Francisco 49ers and is required to divest that interest under NFL ownership rules. For Seattle, the ownership change comes with the team’s stadium situation stable for now: the Seahawks’ lease at Lumen Field runs through 2032 and includes three 10-year renewal options.