SEATTLE — Seattle Kraken founding owner David Bonderman has died.
The Kraken officially announced that he passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 82 surrounded by his family.
Bonderman is credited with many things in his career, but in Seattle, it is not likely that Climate Pledge Arena, nor the Kraken, would exist without him. The red eye of the Kraken logo is famously his mark on the franchise.
Per a Kraken news release, “David was born in Los Angeles on November 27, 1942. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Washington in 1963 with a major in Russian studies. While at UW, he developed both a love for the city and a curiosity about the world. He went on to Harvard Law School where he was a member of the Harvard Law Review, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1966. While at Harvard, he was awarded a Sheldon Fellowship, which sponsored him to travel outside the United States for a year of research and discovery. He used this time to travel to Egypt and the Middle East where he studied Islamic law and became fluent in Arabic. This experience led him to create and endow the Bonderman Fellowships at his alma mater, the University of Washington, a program that has sponsored travel around the world for well over 300 students.”
“In 2018, David returned to Seattle, where he had worked as a security guard at the Space Needle while in college, and led the effort to bring the Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s 32nd franchise, to the city. David also co-led the effort to construct the Climate Pledge Arena, a state-of-the-art facility and the world’s most sustainable arena, under the historical roof of the old Key Arena. As the Kraken team worked through the selection of a name and design of their logo, it was David himself who notoriously stood up in a meeting and pointed to the location where a red ‘eye’ should be inserted in the Kraken “S,” now the signature element of the logo. The Kraken played their inaugural season in 2021 and are now in their fourth season.”
Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke issued a statement reading, “David had a love for the Pacific Northwest, and a passion for sports and music that came together when he founded the NHL’s 32nd franchise, the Seattle Kraken and rebuilt Climate Pledge Arena, alongside his partners at OVG (Oak View Group).
“David was a visionary, unafraid to take on challenges and make bold decisions. He was smart, witty, curious, and humble. I will never forget the infamous meeting where David stood up and pointed to the location where a red ‘eye’ should be inserted in the Kraken “S,” and so our brand was born.
“He empowered us to be a first-class enterprise with the best facilities, people and values and he was unwavering in his commitment to our community.
“We are honored to have had the opportunity to live and learn alongside him. With his daughter, Samantha as our owner, we will proudly continue his legacy. Our thoughts are with David’s children and grandchildren.”
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also issued a statement reading, “David Bonderman lived a life that was astounding in its breadth of achievement, unflinching in its commitment to excellence and relentless in its passion for improving lives – particularly in his adopted home state of Washington. An accomplished litigator and businessman, Bonderman was determined that his personal success positively impact others through conservation, philanthropy, sports, and music.
“A proud alumnus of the University of Washington, in 2018 he brought NHL hockey to the Pacific Northwest, gaining approval from the Board of Governors to establish an expansion franchise in Seattle that would be named the Kraken and begin play in 2021. Adding David to the Board and the Seattle franchise to the NHL made our League and our game stronger, setting new standards in environmental responsibility and diversity and inclusion.
“The National Hockey League celebrates David Bonderman’s remarkable life and mourns his passing. We send our deepest condolences to his five children, three grandchildren and the entire Seattle Kraken organization.”
Bonderman had also worked on several environmental and philanthropic projects.
Per the Kraken, while he was known for his business career, Bonderman “was a member of the boards of The Wilderness Society, World Wildlife Fund, American Himalayan Foundation, and the Grand Canyon Trust. His commitment to these causes was not only financial but also personal, and he frequently took the time to personally engage with the organizations he supported. David was also passionate about music and sports. He was a member of the Board of Directors and a strong financial supporter of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
UW President Ana Mari Cauce told KOMO News in a statement: “David Bonderman believed deeply in the power of travel, cultural exchange and learning through lived experience. His generous support for these kinds of transformative learning experiences for our students has been life-changing for the recipients of the Bonderman Fellowship, which provides fellows the opportunity to travel the world independently for eight months. In my many talks with David throughout our decades of friendship and collaboration, he was an unwavering champion of education inside and especially outside the classroom. His impact on the University of Washington, our students and the world will be a lasting and treasured legacy.”
The Kraken will wear patches on their uniforms for the rest of the season, honoring Bonderman’s place in the franchise’s history.