The Khosla family has agreed to purchase the Seattle Seahawks in a deal valued at $9.6 billion, sources told The Associated Press. The deal would make it the most expensive NFL franchise sale in history, surpassing previous records.
The sale involves a group led by Vinod Khosla, his wife Neeru, and their son Neal. The Khosla family will take controlling interest in the Seahawks, replacing the estate of late owner Paul Allen. The sale agreement is pending approval from NFL owners, with a vote possible as soon as late next month, according to ESPN.
The reported $9.6 billion price exceeds the $6.05 billion paid by a group led by Josh Harris for the Washington Commanders in 2023. However, it falls short of the $10 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers last October, which remains the highest in North American sports history.
The Seahawks confirmed the pending sale in a statement, though financial terms were not disclosed. Khosla, a limited partner with the San Francisco 49ers, will need to sell his minority stake in that team before becoming the Seahawks’ controlling owner, the statement said.
Vinod Khosla, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and founder of Khosla Ventures, has been married to Neeru Khosla since 1980. Their son Neal is CEO of Curai Health and a Stanford graduate. Neeru Khosla holds a master’s degree in molecular biology from San Jose State University and is an entrepreneur. Jody Allen has been chair of the Paul G. Allen Estate since her brother’s death in 2018. The estate put the Seahawks up for sale earlier this year, fulfilling Allen’s wish that his assets be sold and proceeds donated to charity.
Earlier this week, reports indicated that a group led by Boston Celtics associates Wyc Grousbeck and Aditya Mittal was among the finalists in the bidding process.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
