Seahawks Sold in Record $9.6bn Deal Led by Vinod Khosla

NFL owners have officially approved the sale of the reigning Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks to a group led by technology billionaire Vinod Khosla. The deal is valued at $9.612bn, making it the second-highest amount ever paid for a franchise in North American sports history.

The sale required approval from at least 24 of the league's 32 owners. The estate of Paul G. Allen, which took control of the team following the Microsoft co-founder's death in 2018, reached terms with the Khosla family on 11 July after conducting a search for a new owner.

The price surpasses the $6.05bn paid for the Washington Commanders in 2023, though it still trails the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, which sold for $10bn in 2025 and are now reportedly being sold again for around $12.5bn.

Khosla vows to keep winning

Speaking at a press conference, Khosla said he was honoured to be entrusted with the franchise, noting how rare it is to buy a team that has just won the Super Bowl. He described his approach as long-term focused and said he intended to learn from the league's other owners and from Seahawks management.

As part of the agreement, Khosla will have to give up a minority stake he holds in the San Francisco 49ers. The 71-year-old co-founded Sun Microsystems and later founded venture capital firm Khosla Ventures; Forbes estimates his net worth at $13.2bn.

Paul Allen bought the Seahawks from Ken Behring in 1997, preventing the team's relocation to Southern California. After his death, his sister Jody Allen took charge of both the Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, with instructions to eventually sell both and donate the proceeds to charity. Over the 29 seasons the Allen family led the team, the Seahawks reached the play-offs 17 times and won two of the four Super Bowls they contested.