The Seattle Seahawks livened up one of the last few weekends before a new NFL season begins by announcing a sale agreement with the Khosla family. It was inevitable that the Seahawks would be sold following the passing of owner Paul Allen, whose directive included selling all of his assets and donating the proceeds toward philanthropic causes.
That the Seahawks are being sold is still the end of a three-decade run that, had Paul Allen not acquired the franchise for $194 million, would’ve otherwise
been spent in Anaheim. From the Seahawks’ near-departure from Seattle to a two-time Super Bowl winner and four-time NFC champion, it’s been one memorable ride with the Allen family.
Here’s a quick recap of what is known regarding the sale.
Vinod Khosla must divest his San Francisco 49ers stake
It’s an understandably uneasy aspect of the sale for Seahawks fans knowing that the Khoslas are embedded in the Bay Area community. Last year, Vinod bought a 3.1% stake in the San Francisco 49ers. By league rule, Khosla must divest his 49ers stake to avoid conflict of interest. There are no ifs, ands, or buts.
For a recent preceding example, Carolina Panthers owner and University of Pittsburgh alum David Tepper had to give up his 5% stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Likewise for Josh Harris as Washington Commanders owner after he initially had a small Steelers stake.
The vote to approve the Seahawks sale is in August
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Seth Wickersham:
Owners have been given a date in late August to keep open for a special meeting to approve the deal, the sources said.
Come Week 1 against the New England Patriots, the Seahawks should have their new ownership structure in place. At least 24 owners will need a “Yes” vote in order for the sale to be approved. It should be a formality unless we somehow run into a redux of the failed bid by Tom Clancy (yes, that Tom Clancy) to buy the Minnesota Vikings back in the day.
Neeru Khosla would be the controlling owner
Neeru Khosla, the wife of Vinod Khosla, is listed in the NFL’s memo as the would-be controlling owner. A controlling owner must own at least 30 percent of the franchise, per league requirements. Neeru Khosla is the co-founder and chair of the CK-12 Foundation, “a not-for-profit organization advancing K-12 STEM education by leveraging the power of AI and open multi-modal content.”
Neal Khosla, one of Neeru and Vinod’s four children, is “expected to have a significant leadership role in the ownership group.” Back in 2011, Neal had an internship with the 49ers and is currently the CEO of AI healthcare company Curai Health.
There are no former Seahawks involved
We still don’t have an idea as to whether or not the ownership group extends beyond the Khosla family, but a previous Front Office Sports report indicating that one of the interested bidders had at least one former Seahawks player involved. According to the Seattle Times, no ex-Seahawks are part of this sale.
Patience will be the key regarding any additional information on the Khoslas, their ownership style, and anything regarding how they view team facilities, Lumen Field, and a lot more. In the meantime, if you haven’t done so already, please relax about the idea that the Khoslas are coming in to eventually move the Seahawks out of Seattle. Until there is a sliver of evidence to the contrary, it’s not happening.
