.jpg)
1 hour ago
3
On Saturday night, the Seattle Seahawks were finally purchased for an NFL-record $9.6 billion by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, per Adam Schefter.
The 2025 Super Bowl winners were formerly owned by Paul Allen and had been on the market after hoisting their first Vince Lombardi trophy since 2014. Along with charting as the NFL's most expensive sale, the Seahawks also charted in an extremely high position for sports team sales around the world.
Here's the rundown on where Seattle's sale ranked in NFL and sports history, along with a background on the team's new owner.
MORE: What is the Seattle Seahawks' schedule this season?
Most expensive NFL franchises:
Khosla's purchase of the Seahawks topped the NFL's charts for the most expensive franchise purchase in league history. Here is the current top five in the category:
| Rank | Team | Sale price | Year |
| 1. | Seattle Seahawks | $9.6 billion | 2026 |
| 2. | Washington Commanders | $6.05 billion | 2023 |
| 3. | Denver Broncos | $4.65 billion | 2022 |
| 4. | Carolina Panthers | $2.275 billion | 2018 |
| 5. | Buffalo Bills | $1.4 billion | 2014 |
Across major global sports, the sale fell just short of the Los Angeles Lakers' 2025 sale for $10 billion. Here's where Seattle's sale landed on the all-time purchase chart:
| Rank | Team | League | Year | Sale Price (USD) |
| 1 | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | 2025 | $10.0 Billion |
| 2 | Seattle Seahawks | NFL | 2026 | $9.6 Billion |
| 3 | Boston Celtics | NBA | 2025 | $6.1 Billion |
| 4 | Washington Commanders | NFL | 2023 | $6.05 Billion |
| 5 | Chelsea FC | EPL | 2022 | $5.3 Billion |
| 6 | Denver Broncos | NFL | 2022 | $4.65 Billion |
| 7 | Portland Trail Blazers | NBA | 2025 | $4.1 Billion |
| 8 | Phoenix Suns | NBA | 2023 | $4.0 Billion |
| 9 | Milwaukee Bucks | NBA | 2023 | $3.5 Billion |
| 10 | New York Mets | MLB | 2020 | $2.4 Billion |
MORE: How hard is the Seattle's 2026 schedule?
Who is Vinod Khosla?
Vinod Khosla, the Seahawks' new owner, is an entrepreneur, investor, technologist, and the founder of Khosla Ventures, according to his personal website. He started his journey in venture capitalism when he founded his firm in 2004. His company looks to back entrepreneurs who are in the technology field.
Khosla is a 71-year-old (born on January 28, 1955, per Famous Birthdays) billionaire businessman from India who also co-founded Sun Microsystems, a tech company that formerly operated in Silicon Valley.
A group led by San Francisco 49ers limited partner Vinod Khosla has agreed to purchase the Seattle Seahawks for $9.6 billion, a record sale price for an NFL franchise, per @SethWickersham and me. pic.twitter.com/OfX9S788hm
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 11, 2026According to Forbes, Khosla has a net worth of $13.7 billion as of July 11. He ranks No. 217 on Saturday's world list.
Memo just sent to all NFL teams regarding the agreement to sell the Seattle Seahawks for a record $9.612 billion:
“Following a thorough sales process run by Allen & Co., the Estate of Paul Allen has reached agreement to sell the Seattle Seahawks to the Khosla family and several… pic.twitter.com/tT5PdozCmy
How did Vinod Khosla make his money?
Khosla earned the vast majority of his money through venture capitalism. Venture capitalism, according to NVCA, is when a person or company invests money into another company, looking to earn more money than they originally put in. Khosla's venture company has earned him a large portion of his $13.7 billion net worth.
Per Khosla's personal website, his company specifically invests in technology companies looking to join an already-crowded field. The Seahawks' new owner is a firm advocate for AI's potential in a technology-driven world, and he also shares interests in biotechnology, public transit, cybersecurity, and quantum computing.
Khosla was also a minority investor in the San Francisco 49ers, but he must divest that share back with his new position as Seattle's owner.
MORE: What grade did the Seahawks earn for their 2026 draft class?
English (US)