Bezos Hints at Coming Commanders Bid

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos did nothing to quell rumors that he’s interested in buying the Washington Commanders in an interview on Saturday.

Asked by CNN’s Chloe Melas about the chatter that he could buy the team, Bezos replied that he’s “heard that buzz.”

• “I grew up in Houston, Texas, and I played football growing up as a kid,” Bezos added. “It is my favorite sport … so we’ll just have to wait and see.”
• His girlfriend, Lauren Sánchez, seemed to add more fuel to the rumors, saying, “I do like football. I’m just going to throw that out there for everyone.”

Bezos is reportedly working with Jay-Z and Matthew McConaughey on a joint bid. Jay-Z would likely have to divest or otherwise separate himself from his Roc Nation agency, which lists 58 football players as clients on its website.

Not Just Bezos

The Commanders sale is attracting a large number of well-heeled names. 

United Wholesale Mortgage CEO Mat Ishbia has expressed interest in buying the team, telling the Washington Post, “The NFL is a great league, and Washington is one of the elite franchises,” adding that he is “interested in exploring this opportunity further in the very near future.”

Clearlake Capital co-founders Behdad Eghbali and José Feliciano are exploring a bid, sources told Front Office Sports. Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry is thought to be considering a bid as well.