With three confirmed bids for the Washington Commanders, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos won’t enter the fray. According to John Keim of ESPN, Bezos will not bid on the Commanders. Multiple reports have since confirmed Bezos is out of the Commanders’ sweepstakes.
The latest series of reports end speculation surrounding Bezos’ pursuit of the team. Since the NFL franchise was put up for sale in November, Bezos’ name has emerged as an interested suitor. He went as far as hiring Allen & Co., the firm that handled the sale of the New York Mets in 2020.
However, current Commanders owner Dan Snyder reportedly had no interest in selling the team to Jeff Bezos. Snyder has long despised one of the Bezos-owned companies, The Washington Post. The Post has published several damaging reports about Snyder and the Commanders’ organization since 2020.
Those reports have led to multiple investigations by the NFL, Congress, and federal authorities against Snyder and the team over various allegations, including sexual harassment and financial improprieties.
Yet, some pundits have believed Snyder has used Bezos as leverage, trying to lure other suitors to increase their bids to an asking price of $6 billion. Bezos is worth $121 billion, according to Forbes. Snyder may have lost leverage now news emerged that Bezos will sit out the process.
Josh Harris, the owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils of the NHL, appears to be the frontrunner in the Commanders’ sale. Harris, who grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, has built a strong group. Fellow DC billionaire Mitchell Rales is part of the group, as well as NBA legend and entrepreneur Magic Johnson.
Also, Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos and Houston Rockets (NBA) owner Tilman Fertitta have each bid on the Commanders. On Wednesday, Fertitta confirmed he bid $5.6 billion to CNBC. Fertitta expressed some frustration in the process, saying he has “drawn a line in the sand” with his offer.
Snyder bought the Commanders in 1999 for a then-NFL record $800 million. The franchise is now worth $5.6 billion, according to Forbes. The Denver Broncos sold for a record $4.65 billion last year.
According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, Snyder has not notified the NFL of a sale agreement. Still, there is hope that a deal will be reached before the May NFL owners’ meetings. The owners must approve any potential sale.
