Field Gulls
The Seattle Seahawks are set to have a new owner.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Seth Wickersham, a group led by venture capitalist and San Francisco 49ers limited partner Vinod Khosla has reached an agreement to purchase the Seahawks from the Paul G. Allen Estate for $9.6 billion, setting a new record for the sale of an NFL franchise.
“We are honored to be entrusted as the next stewards of the Seattle Seahawks. We look forward to building on the winning legacy Paul Allen created and to earning the trust of the Seahawks organization and fans everywhere,” said Vinod Khosla in an official statement published by the Seahawks.
The agreement comes just months after the Allen Estate formally launched the sale process, fulfilling Paul Allen’s long-standing directive that his assets (including his sports holdings) eventually be sold, with all proceeds going toward philanthropic causes. Since Paul’s death in 2018, his trust has been led by his sister, Jody Allen. Last year, the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers were sold to Tom Dundon for over $4 billion.
Khosla is the founder of the now defunct Sun Microsystems tech company, Khosla Ventures, and previously acquired a 3.1 percent minority stake in the rival San Francisco 49ers. Under NFL ownership rules, the 49ers stake would need to be divested before assuming control of the Seahawks.
The reported $9.6 billion purchase price comfortably surpasses the previous NFL record set by the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders, and represents an extraordinary increase in value from the $194 million Paul Allen paid to acquire the franchise in 1997. Paul’s purchase kept the team in Seattle and laid the foundation for the most successful era in franchise history, including four NFC Championships and two Super Bowl victories.
NFL ownership transfers require approval from at least three-quarters of the league’s owners, making that vote the final major hurdle before the Seahawks formally begin a new chapter under new ownership.
