Seattle’s professional soccer club is adding more tech heavyweights to its ownership group.
Seattle Sounders FC announced Wednesday that the families of Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky and Redapt CEO Rick Cantu are now owners. Jay Stein, president of Sand Capital and real estate development company Sandor, is also now part of the ownership group.
They join several other tech execs, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who became owners in 2019.
“These additions bring the team successful, respected and passionate leaders in innovative spaces, as well as deep connections and diversity of insight that strengthens our club and pushes our organizational goals forward,” Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer said in a statement.
The equity for the new trio of owners come from Hanauer, via shares he acquired from previous owner Joe Roth.
Hanauer earlier this year announced a six-year strategic growth plan for the club, which includes the opening of a new training facility and corporate office in Renton, Wash., its engagement with the FIFA World Cup 2026 (Seattle will host matches), and potential strategic investments and acquisitions related to tech and fan engagement.
Selipsky rejoined Amazon’s cloud division in May 2021 after five years as head of Tableau Software. He replaced Andy Jassy, who took over as Amazon CEO.
Cantu is the co-founder and CEO of Redapt, the Woodinville, Wash.-based company founded in 1996 that provides various IT services.
Stein is a longtime commercial real estate executive who is also a part-owner of the Colorado Rockies and Leeds United FC.
