Bezos Barred From Bidding On Washington Commanders: Updated Odds For The Next Owner In D.C.

According to the Washington Commanders' team banker, Bank of America, Amazon founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, has been barred from bidding on the franchise. It's been reported by The Athletic and Sports Illustrated that Dan Snyder held a private auction for the sale of the Commanders in February, but refused to let Bezos submit a bid. This personal feud stems from the fact that Bezos owns the Washington Post, an outlet which aggresively reported on the Commanders’ “toxic workplace culture” under Snyder. It was also reported that Snyder is seeking a $6 billion bid for the franchise he bought 24 years ago for $800 million. According to reports, Josh Harris, who owns both the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils as well as an ownership stake in Crystal Palace, bid $5.5 billion for the team. This was the highest confirmed bid, with others coming up short of that figure, including media investor Byron Allen, and the founders of Clearlake Capital, Behdad Eghbali and José Feliciano. Sportsbooks have now recalibrated their odds based upon this latest round of news. 

The value of the franchise is set at $5.6 billion by a 2022 Forbes estimate, but Snyder is seeking 7.1% more at a round $6 billion. Synder has dealt with rumors surrounding the potential sale of his franchise for years, but the NFL's investigation into sexual harassment and workplace misconduct appears to be accelerating his timetable. The same can be said for the probe into the allegations that he held back revenue that was to be shared with other owners. The NFL brought in a third-party investigator, former Securities and Exchange Commission chair Mary Jo White. It's rumored that her investigation may provide a carrot/whip dynamic for the league with Snyder. If he sells, the findings could be buried. If he refuses to sell they could force his hand by making a damning report public.