One of the best bids for the Washington Commanders were removed from owner Dan Snyder’s $6 billion mark – while billionaire Jeff Bezos was forced out of the game, The Post sources say.
An unidentified bidder made a bid of roughly $5.5 billion ahead of the deadline this week, which was just like the amount offered by 76ers and Devils owner Josh Harris, sources near the situation said.
Snyder prevented Bezos, whose fortune is value greater than $100 billion, from entering a non-public auction, although the Amazon founder desired to attend, sources say.
Bezos and Snyder didn’t reply to calls for comment. Harris declined to comment.
As previously reported by The Post, Snyder holds a grudge against Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, which published a series of disclosures claiming that Snyder enabled sexual harassment in a vilified NFL franchise.
The reports led to the NFL putting pressure on Snyder to sell the team. But now that Snyder hasn’t gotten his asking price, he may select to maintain control of Washington, which he bought for a then-record $800 million in 1999.
“He’s an asshole and will not want to provide up” AND said a source closely watching the sale.
Bezos quietly followed the sales process. This week he hired an investment bank to explore a deal for the team, the Washington Post reports.
But the reality is that Bezos is working with Allen & Co. for months and has long been interested, in keeping with two sources near the situation.
“I need to say [to the NFL] don’t allow them to say we weren’t here,” said a source closely watching the sale.
NFL owners can still pressure Snyder to sell to Bezos to extend the value of all teams.
A choice on whether Snyder will finally leave the team he supported as a toddler is anticipated to be decided at the annual owners meeting starting March 26, sources say.