Quick Facts: Seattle Kraken
| Owner | David Bonderman & Jerry Bruckheimer (lead owners) |
| CEO / Leader | Tod Leiweke (CEO) |
| Founded | 2021, Seattle, Washington |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Ownership Type | Private |
| Stock Ticker | N/A |
| Publicly Traded | No |
Who Owns the Seattle Kraken?
The Seattle Kraken are owned by an investment group led by David Bonderman and Jerry Bruckheimer. Bonderman, the billionaire co-founder of TPG Capital (a major private equity firm), and Bruckheimer, the legendary Hollywood film and television producer behind franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean, Top Gun, and The Amazing Race, together form the most visible leadership of the ownership consortium. They were awarded the NHL expansion franchise in December 2018, and the Kraken began play in the 2021–22 NHL season as the league’s 32nd team.
The ownership group is broader than just Bonderman and Bruckheimer — it includes other significant investors who collectively met the NHL’s financial requirements for a new franchise. The expansion fee paid by the Seattle ownership group was approximately $650 million, reflecting the premium placed on one of North America’s major markets that had been without NHL hockey for decades. The franchise is privately held with no publicly traded shares.
Tod Leiweke serves as the CEO and Governor of the Kraken, handling day-to-day business operations. Leiweke brought experience from his tenure as CEO of the Tampa Bay Lightning and NFL Network. His operational expertise has been instrumental in building the Kraken from a blank-slate expansion team into a community-focused franchise that sold out its first season before a single game was played. The Kraken’s home arena, Climate Pledge Arena, was renovated from the former KeyArena at Seattle Center and opened in October 2021.
About David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer, and the Kraken
David Bonderman co-founded TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group) in 1992, building it into one of the world’s largest private equity firms with hundreds of billions in assets under management. TPG went public in January 2022 (NASDAQ: TPG) but Bonderman’s personal fortune remains tied to his co-founding stake. His investment portfolio spans multiple industries, and the Kraken represents a sports ownership addition to his broader private investment holdings.
Jerry Bruckheimer is one of Hollywood’s most successful producers, known for generating massive box office and television ratings over five decades. His involvement in the Kraken lent the franchise significant celebrity cachet and media attention during its launch. Bruckheimer’s production company has created some of entertainment’s most enduring franchises, and his brand of over-the-top spectacle translated into the Kraken’s aggressive and memorable team identity.
Key Ownership Highlights
- David Bonderman (TPG Capital co-founder) and Jerry Bruckheimer (Hollywood producer) are the lead owners of the Seattle Kraken. The ownership group was awarded the NHL expansion franchise in December 2018 for approximately $650 million — among the most expensive expansion fees in hockey history at that time.
- The Kraken began play in the 2021–22 NHL season as the league’s 32nd franchise, ending Seattle’s long absence from major professional hockey. The team sold out its first full season before playing a single game, reflecting the city’s pent-up demand for NHL hockey.
- Tod Leiweke serves as CEO and Governor of the Kraken, bringing previous experience as CEO of the Tampa Bay Lightning — a franchise he helped build into a competitive powerhouse. His operational leadership was central to the Kraken’s successful launch.
- Climate Pledge Arena, the Kraken’s home, was renovated from the historic Seattle Center Coliseum (formerly KeyArena) at a cost of approximately $1.15 billion. The arena is named after Amazon’s Climate Pledge sustainability initiative, making it one of the first major sports venues in the world named for a corporate environmental commitment.
- The Kraken qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in just their second season (2022–23), advancing to the second round — an impressive achievement for an expansion franchise that demonstrated the quality of their roster construction and coaching under Dave Hakstol.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the Seattle Kraken?
The Seattle Kraken are owned by a consortium led by David Bonderman (co-founder of TPG Capital) and Jerry Bruckheimer (Hollywood producer). The group was awarded the NHL expansion franchise in December 2018. CEO Tod Leiweke handles day-to-day operations. The franchise is privately held.
Are the Seattle Kraken publicly traded?
No. The Seattle Kraken are privately held. However, lead owner David Bonderman’s TPG Capital went public on the NASDAQ (TPG) in January 2022.
When did the Seattle Kraken start playing?
The Seattle Kraken began play in the 2021–22 NHL season as the league’s 32nd expansion franchise. The team had been awarded the franchise in December 2018 and spent three years preparing for its debut, selling out its inaugural season before playing a single game.
Where do the Seattle Kraken play?
The Kraken play at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle’s Seattle Center complex. The arena was renovated from the former KeyArena at a cost of approximately $1.15 billion, opening in October 2021. It is named after Amazon’s Climate Pledge environmental sustainability commitment.
