The Washington Commanders don't have a prospective buyer after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' interest in placing a bid appears to have stalled weeks before NFL owners are set to meet.
Bezos has reportedly hired a firm to explore a bid on the team, but there are conflicting reports on whether he will be permitted to submit a bid on the franchise.
JEFF BEZOS HIRES FIRM TO EXPLORE BID ON WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
A Friday report from the New York Post suggested that Bezos had been "benched" by Dan Snyder from placing a bid on the team due to the Commanders owner's grudge against the Bezos-owned Washington Post due to their coverage of allegations of sexual assault made against Snyder.
A subsequent report by Front Office Sports on Monday says that Bezos has not been prevented from bidding but rather Snyder is using it as a bargaining chip to get more money for the NFL franchise. The report also suggested the sale process is at a "critical juncture" and that the list of bidders has been narrowed down.
Several reports suggest the Commanders are aiming to get a sale done within the next few weeks before the annual league owners meeting, which is currently scheduled for March 26-29 in Phoenix, Arizona. A sale of the team would require three-fourths of teams in the league, 24 of the 32, to approve the selected bid, and getting a winning bid before the meeting would expedite the process.
The current bids have fallen short of the $7 billion mark Snyder is reportedly hoping to get for the Commanders, reaching a peak of $6.3 billion in the first round of bids.
Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris, who is perceived to be one of the top bidders, visited the team's facilities in Ashburn, Virginia, earlier this month. He has reportedly placed a bid for the team, but the details of the offer are not publicly known. He attempted to buy the Denver Broncos last year but was outbid by Walmart heir Rob Walton.
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The league has not forced the sale of the Commanders, but the New York Post report indicated that they may force him to sell to Bezos if he attempts to block him in order to raise the price of the sale. The option does remain open for Snyder to not sell the team.
The NFL has increasingly pressured owner Dan Snyder to make changes to the team in recent years. In 2020, Snyder announced the team would retire the "Redskins" name, opting to be called the "Washington Football Team" for the 2020 and 2021 seasons before rebranding as the "Commanders" in 2022.