Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and commissioner Roger Goodell on the sidelines before the start of an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday, Sep.15, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo.
Logan Bowles | AP
Jeff Bezos is interested in bidding for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, multiple news outlets reported Thursday.
The Amazon founder and multibillionaire has expressed interest in purchasing the team, possibly in collaboration with rapper and music industry giant Jay-Z, The Washington Post and Bloomberg reported Thursday, each citing a single source. The Washington Post is owned by Jeff Bezos. People reported Bezos’ interest earlier Thursday.
The reports came a day after current owner Dan Snyder hired Bank of America to explore a sale of the team. Snyder has faced mounting pressure to sell the team. He’s currently the subject of House Oversight Committee and NFL investigations into allegations of sexual harassment and financial misconduct.
Snyder’s financial misconduct is also the subject of a federal criminal probe from the U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, according to ESPN.
Bezos has a home in Washington, D.C., which is near the Commanders’ stadium in Maryland. His interest in buying a sports team has been widely reported. NBA star Shaquille O’Neal said that Bezos “scared” him away from making a bid for the ownership of the Phoenix Suns, another team whose owner is marred in controversy.
Representatives for Bezos did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other potential bidders for the Commanders include media mogul Byron Allen, according to Bloomberg, which cited people familiar with the matter. Allen was reportedly approached to buy the Denver Broncos franchise, which was eventually bought by members of Walmart’s Walton family.
–CNBC’s Annie Palmer contributed to this report.
