Dan Snyder and the Commanders already have a blockbuster offer lined up.
The partnership of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z will put in an official joint bid to purchase the team in January, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
The duo’s interest first emerged on Thursday, as TMZ reported their potential coming together for the deal. Just one day prior, Snyder took a colossal step toward selling the Commanders, which he’s long refused to do, hiring Bank of America Securities to help “consider possible transactions.” He told the Associated Press the team is “exploring all options.”
A rep for Bezos was unavailable for comment.
Bezos and Jay-Z are longtime friends, and Jay-Z spent time aboard Bezos’ yacht in September.
Jay-Z famously sings that he can “sell water to a whale.” Bezos will now be calling on that ability to sell his bid to both Snyder and the NFL, as the team already has four potential suitors interested, according to Forbes.
Snyder has been embroiled in endless controversies as owner — including alleged sexual misconduct, a toxic workplace and his relationship with other owners. His decision to explore selling the team is an about-face on his recent sentiment, when he remained steadfast in remaining owner. It mirrors his public 180 in regard to the team name, when he first refused to change from the derogatory “Redskins” before doing just that in 2020.
Snyder has owned the team since 1999, when he purchased it for $800 million. Forbes currently values the team at $5.6 billion, which would break the record for most expensive NFL team. The Broncos’ $4.65 billion sale over the summer currently holds the mark.
Bezos, with a $114 billion estimated net worth as the world’s current fourth-wealthiest individual, already owns the Washington Post locally. On top of that, he’s already begun to expand into the NFL. Amazon’s Prime Video is in the midst of their first season exclusively broadcasting “Thursday Night Football,” which he secured on an 11-year, $11 billion deal. He also shelled out to acquire Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit for the broadcast.
Amid a legendary career in music, winning 24 Grammy awards, Jay-Z founded Roc Nation, a full-service entertainment company that also represents athletes and artists. With an estimated $1.3 billion net worth, Jay-Z has been in an entertainment and social initiative partnership with the NFL since 2019. Notably, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop artist to become a billionaire.
[Written in collaboration with other media outlets with information from the following sources]
