Amazon founder Jeff Bezos wants to buy an NFL team, and the Washington Redskins could be a potential target, a new report claims.
CBS Sports reported on Sunday that the billionaire, who already owns The Washington Post , has become close with a number of current NFL owners and is gaining their support in what could be a bid to purchase a team. The report noted that Bezos is in the process of moving to Washington, D.C. on a full-time basis and is already close to Redskins owner Dan Snyder.
If Bezos were to make a move for an NFL team, he would likely have the necessary support from both other owners and the league itself. Bezos was a guest of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the last Super Bowl, watching the game in Goodell’s luxury suite. Bezos has also gained the support of important allies like Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has the ability to rally other owners around his wishes.
The options for Bezos at the current time to actually purchase a team would be limited, the report noted. The Seattle Seahawks are the only team with a potential sale on the horizon after the death of owner Paul Allen last year, but the report noted that the Redskins could present an interesting option for the Amazon CEO. CBS Sports noted that Bezos may have the pull to complete the downtown stadium that Snyder has been seeking, opening the possibility that Snyder may sell at least a part of the ownership stake to Bezos in order to get the stadium built.
“Snyder has been trying for years to get a state-of-the-art downtown stadium built in DC, growing increasingly frustrated by the location and age of FedEx Field,” the report noted. “Bezos moved The Washington Post to a new location after purchasing the paper, is setting up an Amazon hub in the area and some believe could aid Snyder’s pursuit of a new stadium, perhaps even with an Amazon sponsorship.”
Money would certainly not be an obstacle for Bezos, who has an estimated net worth of $112 billion, a figure that continues to grow each year.
Building a new stadium could earn support from Redskins fans, especially from the vocal contingent that is calling on Snyder to sell the team amid growing disappointment over their performance in recent seasons, as well as a series of off-the-field controversies. Some fans have organized protests against Snyder. WUSA reported that a local brewer even released a “Sell the Team” IPA aimed at him.