Jeff Bezos is likely out as a potential owner of the Washington Commanders. Teddy Schleifer of The Puck broke the original story Wednesday that Bezos was not expected to bid on the Commanders. Others, such as The Washington Post and ESPN, also confirmed those reports.
Before Schleifer’s report on Wednesday, he also confirmed that hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and iconic actor — and noted Washington superfan — Matthew McConaughey were not part of a prospective Bezos’ bid. In his Tuesday story on the Washington sale, Schleifer said the following regarding Jay-Z:
I’ve recently learned that Jay-Z was never a part of Bezos’s campaign, at least not in any formal capacity, despite earlier reporting that the two would “put in an official joint bid to purchase the team in January.” It’s possible that the general topic came up in conversation at their two-hour Los Angeles dinner, as chronicled by paparazzi last November, but the mini-mogul was at no point involved in any prospective bid, I’m informed.
On McConaughey:
I’m similarly told that McConaughey, a longtime friend of Snyder’s who had been reportedly “joining” the Bezos campaign, has been talking for months to potential Commanders buyers—including Bezos—but he has never been committed to Bezos, specifically.
McConaughey is a friend of Washington owner Dan Snyder and has been to games in the past as a special guest. He’s been outspoken about wanting to be part of the next ownership group of the Commanders. And, according to Schleifer, it’s not out of the question that McConaughey shows up as a part of Josh Harris or Steve Apostolopoulos’s bids before the team is sold.
Harris, who is co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, is viewed as the frontrunner to be Washington’s next owner. Billionaire Mitchell Rales, a businessman and philanthropist, along with NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, are part of Harris’ bid. Could McConaughey join the Harris group next?
McConaughey isn’t the only celebrity Washington fan who has mentioned an interest in owning part of the Commanders. NBA superstar Kevin Durant, a Maryland native, has also mentioned the possibility.
With Bezos now out of the running [by his own choosing], could this be coming to a close soon?
