Before Dan Snyder sold the Commanders to a group of investors led by Josh Harris last year, there was wide speculation about who all would be taking place in the bidding process for the franchise. An obvious name came up in Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, due to his ownership in local news outlet, The Washington Post, but word came out that Bezos’s ability to bid was not a reality. Conflicting reports have surfaced of late claiming that Bezos was not blocked from the vote but was simply outbid, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports.
This insight comes from a recent article from the Financial Times which suggests that Snyder did not, in fact, block Bezos from submitting a bid. It claims that Bezos simply did not put forth a bid worth more than the $6.05BB-offer put forth by Harris and company.
Snyder certainly has had issues with the Post and its views, also voicing displeasure for Bezos himself. That being said, Snyder is reportedly not so petty that he would turn down an offer for more money if it came from Bezos. An unnamed source for the Financial Times claimed, “I don’t think Snyder would have not sold to them if Jeff came in with a bid of $7(BB).”
Business reporter Daniel Kaplan, formerly of The Athletic, dissents that perhaps Snyder was, in fact, that petty, but once the funding difficulties of the Harris group became known, Snyder became more open to the idea. Kaplan particularly notes that the potential for more money could have softened Snyder’s resolve, as well.
Florio suggests the stance that perhaps the lack of a late bid from Bezos to outdo the $6.05BB-figure was not due to an inability to match the desired amount but was more a valuation determination. He puts forth that, should Bezos shell out the money it takes to buy an NFL franchise, the Commanders would not be worth the trouble. A damaged brand, an outdated stadium, and a slew of other messy situations left by the preceding staff make Washington a tough sell.
Instead, Florio claims that the smarter move would be to wait for the next franchise, perhaps the Seahawks, to hit the market. The NFL has made it known that they certainly have interest in having Bezos as a part of their ownership group. If interest is ever to turn into reality, a franchise with far less baggage may make the most sense for the billionaire.
I hope the mccaskeys Sell the Bears and the Land they own in Arlington Heights to Bezos. It’s time for new ownership
I hope Bezos purchases the White Sox too!
I agree with the article that the inevitable Bezos takeover of a franchise would probably occur in Seattle. Allen is a more involved owner than many anticipated when she took over, but signs indicate that she will likely sell sometime in the next few years. Bezos can wait to get what he really wants then, in a city close to home and without many of the concerns that Snyder’s tenure imparted on Washington.
Of course, I did have the thought that Bezos would embrace a potential rebrand of Washington and make it in his own image (or possibly even move, given their stadium issues). It’d be nigh impossible to do either of those things in Seattle. It’s likely that Bezos would be content with the satisfaction of owning a franchise and sitting back while the profits roll in-of course changing things here and there to suit his liking. This is all purely and completely, 100% in total, my opinion.
There are no signs she will sell anytime in the near future. Paul’s will asks for both the Seahawks and Trailblazers be sold at some point and proceeds from sale go to his foundation but neither has happened yet. When talk of Pete leaving it seemed Ike the time was coming bit with hiring of new coach the doesn’t seem likely soon. I’m sure Mike Mcdonald asked that question and if was happening soon would not have taken job. It I’ll happen at some point but doesn’t seem anytime soon. Phil Knight offered a large amount for Trailblazers and that was not accepted.
I’d be fine with her holding on to the franchises, if I were a fan, for stability reasons alone. The sale of NFL franchises is getting to be more and more of a rich person’s clown show with every passing transition. Perhaps today’s media environment exacerbates that, but that’s only my impression.
As for Allen, I think most media people assumed that she’d sell the team right after her husband’s death, but she seems to enjoy being an owner. It’s the will that makes me feel as if a sale could come relatively soon (maybe not in two or three years, or even five, as you’ve pointed out, but maybe ten or so would be a better prediction). I could be wrong. I can’t speak to the Trailblazers, but she seems to do a good job with the Seahawks. As a fan, you probably could validate that or correct it better than I could. I think the fact that she chose to change Pete out with a new coach, instead of just riding out his waning years in the backseat, speaks to your point. Allen made a move for the future by hiring a new coach, and a young one at that.