Jeff Bezos.Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images
Jeff Bezos is interested in purchasingthe Washington Commanders, a source close to the billionaire tells PEOPLE.
The source says that Bezos, 58, is “looking into buying the Washington Commanders” after current owners Dan and Tanya Snyder announced they were exploring options to sell the NFL team on Wednesday.
Bezos is considering making the purchase “possibly in partnership” with Jay-Z, according to the insider. The rapper previously owned a stake in the Brooklyn Nets.
The Amazon founder’s interest in purchasing an NFL team dates back to 2019 whenCBS Sports reportedthat Bezos had expressed interest in becoming an owner in the league. Sources told the outlet that Bezos “has strong support within the league to eventually join their ranks,” but at the time, no teams were for sale.
Now though, the Commanders could be available. The Snyders appears to be entertaining the idea of selling — or adding a minority owner to — the team after 23 years of ownershi, according to a statement shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday. The Commanders stated that the Snyders “have hired BofA [Bank of America] Securities to consider potential transactions.”
Dan and Tanya Snyder.Rob Carr/Getty
Even though the statement didn’t explicitly state the team was going to sell, asThe Wall Street Journalreported,hiring a bank is a common first stepin the process.
Dan, 57, and Tanya, 60, have already had at least four phone calls withparties interested in purchasing the team, according toForbes.
New ownership, under Bezos or otherwise, would save the franchise from a possible “ousting” of the Snyders, who have been under fire several times for accusations of workplace misconduct.
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Those accusations aren’t sitting well in the league — during a recent NFL owners meeting, the possibility of"ousting" the Snyders as owners of the Commanderswas apparently discussed among attendees, according to Sports Illustrated.
However, the Snyders said they are still very focused on the Commanders.
“The Snyders remain committed to the team, all of its employees and its countless fans to putting the best product on the field and continuing the work to set the gold standard for workplaces in the NFL,” the statement concluded.
source: people.com
