Khosla-led group agrees to buy Seahawks; sources say $9.6 billion - ESPN

A group led by San Francisco 49ers limited partner Vinod Khosla has agreed to purchase the Seattle Seahawks, it was announced Saturday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but multiple league sources with knowledge of the matter said the selling price would be $9.612 billion, a record for an NFL franchise.

As part of the deal, which is subject to owner approval, the Khosla family will be required to relinquish its ownership stake in the 49ers. The family will become the Seahawks' controlling owner.

Owners have been given a date in late August to keep open for a special meeting to approve the deal, the sources said.

«We are honored to be entrusted as the next stewards of the Seattle Seahawks,» said Vinod Khosla on behalf of the Khosla family. «We look forward to building on the winning legacy Paul Allen created and to earning the trust of the Seahawks organization and fans everywhere.»

The Seahawks went up for sale after the team beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl this year. The franchise has been owned by the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen since his death in 2018. Allen's sister, Jody, has controlled the team as executor of the trust, with a directive from her brother to eventually sell the Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and donate the proceeds to charity.

Paul Allen agreed to buy the Seahawks from Ken Behring in 1996, with the deal becoming official in 1997. The deal saved the team from a potential relocation to Southern California.

The Seahawks have made the playoffs in seven of the past 10 years. They are based at legendary Lumen Field, which opposing players have said is one of the toughest stadiums to play at and which received nearly $20 million in upgrades ahead of the