Report: Jeff Bezos hasn’t submitted a bid to buy the Washington Commanders; first round bids didn’t exceed $6.3 billion

Sale updates

Jeff Bezos was an early favorite to purchase the Washington Commanders due to his immense wealth and the rumors he was interested in purchasing an NFL team. He was not a bidder on the Denver Broncos when they were sold last year, and he has reportedly not placed a bid on the Washington Commanders during the first round of bids that were due before Christmas last year. Front Office Sports is also reporting that bids did not exceed $6.3 billion.

Bezos’ interest has always been speculative, and people assumed he was waiting for the right team before entering the fray. He had no ties to the Denver Broncos, which was sold to a group led by a Walton heir. He had previously purchased the Washington Post and is building another Amazon Headquarters in Arlington, VA, giving him strong ties to the area. However, another team that could interest Bezos that is expected to be sold soon is the Seattle Seahawks. Bezos’ has strong ties to that area, and it could be the prize he’s waiting for.

Dan Snyder is not a fan of the Washington Post, and Bezos’ ownership of the paper was seen as a non-starter for him by some people in the industry. There was some speculation that Snyder doesn’t actually intend to sell the entire franchise, and this was a ploy to out Bezos’ interest. The Washington Post has been reporting on the numerous scandals, investigations, and lawsuits against Dan Snyder and the franchise. Bezos’ hasn’t submitted a bid, but that doesn’t mean he won’t before the process is finished.

The other big news in the FOS story is that the half dozen bids submitted didn’t exceed $6.3 billion. There had been a previous report by Forbes magazine that there had been multiple bids for the team in excess of $7 billion. While the bids are lower than initial report, a sale price of more than $6b would blow away the record set by the Broncos sale last year ($4.65 billion). There will be more bids as Bank of America Securities continues to explore all options. The cost of a new stadium, and the issues with getting public funding were cited as possible reasons for the bids being lower than expected. Another reason was Bezos not coming in with a huge number that would have initiated an early bidding war.

The Washington Commanders would not comment on any potential transactions, including whether the Snyder’s plan to sell the entire franchise, or a minority stake.