Fans of the Washington Commanders are skeptical by nature. For the fans who’ve stuck around over the past 24 years of Daniel Snyder’s tenure as owner, nothing surprises them.
So, back in November, when it was revealed that owner Dan Snyder had hired Bank of America to explore potential transactions with the team, many Washington fans were skeptical. While it was apparent that other NFL owners wanted Snyder gone, confirmed by Colts owner Jim Irsay in October, no one believed he’d sell the Commanders.
Now, almost four months later, stories have gone back and forth regarding who has actually placed bids on the Commanders, how much those were for and how much Snyder was seeking; it feels closer than ever to actual real news regarding the sale.
Multiple reports have cited the NFL owner’s meetings, which begin on March 26, as the time Washington’s sale would be finalized. Outlets such as NBC Sports Washington, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Front Office Sports and FOX Business have all mentioned a similar timeline.
However, the New York Post has said bids didn’t even reach $6 billion, and things weren’t going well. On Saturday, the New York Post reported that Snyder had kept Amazon founder Jeff Bezos out of the bidding process.
Snyder’s beef with Bezos exists because Bezos owns The Washington Post. Snyder blames the Washington Post for many of his troubles. In actuality, the Washington Post, behind excellent reporting, exposed the toxic workplace that existed under Snyder’s watch for two decades.
Shortly after the New York Post’s report Saturday, Ben Standig of The Athletic confirmed that Bezos is barred from bidding on the Commanders. But, in Standig’s report, he said the potential sale had been “ramped up.”
What does that mean? Does it mean Snyder could sell to Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris for less than the $6 billion he reportedly wants?
It’s Dan Snyder, so that remains a mystery.
Here’s another quote from Standig’s story that Washington fans know all too well:
“This is playing out exactly how many feared,” said one sports lawyer of the scenario that Snyder would create an unrealistic price threshold, keep out the wealthiest bidder, and not sell the team.
Could Snyder say his price tag wasn’t met after freezing out the highest potential bidder and keep the Commanders?
Well, he could, but it’s not that simple.
Snyder likely knows it’s in his best interest to sell the franchise. And ultimately, everything comes down to money. As Standig noted, it’s been known that Snyder didn’t want to deal with Bezos. However, this week, the Washington Post reported that Bezos hired a noted investment bank to look into a potential bid on the Commanders.
Why would Bezos do this if he felt there was no chance?
While Snyder may be making a last-ditch effort to scare Washington fans, this entire ordeal likely ends with him selling the team. And regardless of what we heard Saturday, don’t be surprised if Bezos is the winning bidder.
As always, follow the money. And Bezos has way more than anyone else involved.
With the owner’s meetings one month away, the next four weeks will be very interesting.
