SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Today, the San Francisco 49ers announced an investment in the team by three local Bay Area families – the Deeter family, led by Byron and Allison Deeter; the Griffith family, led by William Griffith; and the Khosla family, led by Neal and Vinod Khosla. Together, the new owner partners are acquiring a non-controlling, minority interest in the Club, which will fuel the continued growth of the 49ers organization and new opportunities. The deal was approved by the NFL at the League meeting on May 20.
This announcement comes at a high-profile time for the 49ers organization. In addition to preparing for the upcoming 49ers football season, their home at Levi’s® Stadium will host both Super Bowl LX and six FIFA World Cup matches in 2026 – making Levi’s® Stadium the only venue in history to host both mega-events in a single calendar year.
“I’d like to welcome the Deeter, Griffith, and Khosla families to the San Francisco 49ers,” said Jed York, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers. “Together with my family and our partners, we are deeply committed to investing in the future of this organization, enhancing the fan experience, and supporting the region we’re proud to call home.”
Byron Deeter is a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, where he invests in Cloud, AI, Frontier Technology, and the Business of Sports. Byron and his wife Alli serve on the board of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation. Both graduated from UC Berkeley, where Byron also played rugby.
“As lifelong fans with deep Bay Area roots, we’re proud to partner with Jed and the entire 49ers family,” said Byron Deeter on behalf of the Deeter family. “The 49ers have established a winning culture that embodies the spirit of the Bay. We’re grateful and excited for the opportunity to join this world-class organization.”
Will Griffith is a partner at ICONIQ, a global investment firm. He graduated with a B.A. from Dartmouth, where he played football for a three-time Ivy League championship team under the late Buddy Teevans, and earned an MBA from Stanford GSB.
“Joining the 49ers is the realization of a lifelong dream first sparked by the greatness of Roger Craig, Tom Rathman, Ronnie Lott, Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, Harris Barton, Jerry Rice, Steve Young and Bill Walsh,” said Will Griffith on behalf of the Griffith family. “The 49ers are one of the most iconic sports and business brands in the world, and we are thrilled to be joining the team. Under the leadership of Jed and the York-DeBartolo family, the 49ers have built a winning legacy, standard of excellence, and incredible business franchise that we look forward to being a part of for years to come. Let’s GO!!”
Neal Khosla is the CEO and founder of Curai, an artificial intelligence-enabled primary care company. He has been published in Sports Business Journal and brings his background consulting for professional teams on sports analytics. Neal earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from Stanford. Vinod Khosla is the co-founder of Sun Microsystems and current managing director of Khosla Ventures. Vinod earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, followed by a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Carnegie Mellon and an MBA from Stanford GSB.
“My father and I have been season ticket holders for 30 years, going to games at The Stick starting when I was a child through the last 11 years at Levi’s® Stadium,” said Neal Khosla on behalf of the Khosla family. “For us, becoming members of the 49ers family is a dream come true and we’re honored to be a part of the team’s future success and continued impact on the Bay Area community.”
Moving forward, Jed York and the York family retain control of the Club.
For more information about the 49ers, please visit 49ers.com
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source link
