Jeff Bezos Passing On Commanders Ownership, Could He Be Eyeing A Different NFL Team?

Jeff Bezos, one of the richest people in the world, is passing at the opportunity to bid on a National Football League (NFL) team.

Here’s a look at where the sale process of the Washington Commanders currently stands and what Bezos could have his eyes on instead.

What Happened: The Washington Commanders are exploring the sale of the team, as owner Dan Snyder has fallen out of favor with the NFL.

Bezos, who previously expressed interest in acquiring the D.C.-based team, was said to be blocked from putting in a bid due to an existing feud between himself and Snyder. The feud comes as Bezos owns the Washington Post newspaper, which published several damaging reports against Snyder and the Commanders.

Bezos had explored the option of selling the Washington Post in a good faith move to be able to bid, according to sources. Snyder denied that Bezos was blocked and in recent weeks it was reported the Commanders owner may have been stalling the sale process to wait for a higher bid from Bezos.

Allen & Co. was hired by Bezos to explore a bid, but ESPN reported the Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN founder is passing on attempting to acquire the team.

With Bezos out of the bidding process, the sale of the Commanders is likely down to two bidding parties.
Josh Harris, owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils, and several partners including NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson submitted a reported bid of $6 billion.

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta submitted a bid of $5.6 billion according to a recent interview with CNBC.

“I’ll be flat out honest, I made a bid on the Washington Commanders for $5.6 billion. That’s the value that Forbes had them at. At some point you got to draw a line in the sand on everything,” Fertitta said.

The Rockets owner said he would not raise his bid and said he didn’t believe $6 billion was the right number.

"If they can get someone to pay them more than that, good luck to ‘em,” he said.

Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos has also been reported as a bidder on the franchise.

The other scenario is that Snyder declines the bids and keeps the team, which could prompt the NFL to make an attempt to oust Snyder from the league. The Commanders owner was previously said to be seeking $7 billion for the team.

What’s Next for Bezos: With a wealth of $122 billion, Bezos is currently the third richest person in the world.

Sports team ownership is often a way for billionaires to increase their wealth, with sports teams often rising in value over the years thanks to increased money paid for television rights and other items.

Bezos may have also seen firsthand how successful the NFL is and how valuable television rights are for teams. Amazon landed the rights to the “Thursday Night Football” games on a deal that began with the 2022 season.

Bezos was seen at the NFL’s first “Thursday Night Football” game for Amazon in 2022 sitting alongside NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

One potential question is if owning an NFL team and being the chairman of a company with streaming rights to games would be a conflict. The league would likely limit the number of “Thursday Night Football” games that a Bezos-owned team could be featured in.

The new report is that by passing on the Commanders, Bezos may have his eyes set on a different NFL franchise.

See Also: 10 Sports Franchises That May Entice Investors On Heels Of $2.4B Denver Broncos Deal

“Bezos knows that Seattle is sitting there,” a source from the Washington Post said recently.

This refers to the Seattle Seahawks, a team valued at $4.5 billion by Forbes in 2022.

Bezos famously quit his job at an investment firm to open an online book store called Amazon.com, moving from New York to Seattle and driving across the country to complete the job change.

Seattle has served as the headquarters for Amazon since it was founded and ownership of the Seahawks could be a natural fit between the billionaire and the team.

Seattle also isn’t in need of a new stadium, potentially making acquiring the team a smarter financial move for Bezos.

The Seahawks are not listed for sale but could be soon according to sources. The team was owned by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for years. Allen passed away in 2018 and his sister Jody Allen has been selling his assets. Sources are speculating that a sale of the Seahawks could be on the list soon.

But, Bezos may have to wait to get his NFL team. According to NBC Sports, if the Seahawks are sold before May 2024, 10% of the sale proceeds go to the state of Washington as part of the team’s current stadium deal.

Read Next: ICYMI: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Jeff Bezos

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