NFL owners have voted to approve the record $9.6 billion sale of the Seahawks to the Khosla family, Mark Maske of Front Office Sports reports. It was a unanimous vote, commissioner Roger Goodell announced (per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
This was the expected result after the league’s finance committee and ownership policy committee recommended the owners approve the sale last week. It will officially end a six-month process for the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks, who went up for sale on Feb. 18.
The franchise had enjoyed stable ownership under the Allen family since Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen purchased it for $200MM in 1997. Jody Allen, Paul Allen’s sister, took the reins after he passed away in 2018. As per Paul Allen’s wishes, the proceeds of the sale will go to charitable causes. The same was true when Jody Allen agreed to sell the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers for $4.25 billion last August.
The first bids for the Seahawks were due in late June. By early July, Khosla’s group and one led by Boston Celtics alternate governor Wyc Grousbeck emerged as the frontrunners. It was soon revealed Khosla, who co-founded Sun Microsystems and has been a 49ers limited partner, submitted the winning bid. He will divest his stock in the 49ers as he takes on a much larger role with one of their NFC West rivals. His wife, Neeru Khosla, will serve as the Seahawks’ controlling owner. Their son Neal Khosla will also be involved.
Goodell stated in May that the Seahawks were receiving “tremendous interest,” leading to optimism they would sell for upward of $10 billion. The franchise will fall short of that mark, but the sale price eclipses the then-record $6.05 billion Josh Harris paid to purchase the Commanders in 2023.