Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and hip-hop icon Jay-Z were spotted having dinner together in Los Angeles amid speculation the duo could team up to buy the Washington Commanders.
Last week, the Commanders announced controversial owner Dan Snyder had hired Bank of America to explore the sale of the team, although it is unclear if he would sell the entire team or just add a minority partner to the mix. He has owned the Washington franchise since 1999 and the 57-year-old already has four interested buyers, according to Forbes.
Bezos has expressed interest in owning an NFL franchise for some time and has ties to the area. The 58-year-old, who owns the Washington Post newspaper, has reportedly partnered with Jay-Z in a bid to buy the Commanders.
Jay-Z is worth an estimated $1.3billion (£1.1bn) by Forbes and has joined forces with Bezos, who is one of the richest people in the world worth $113bln (£98.5bn). The duo were seen having dinner in LA, reportedly enjoying the meal for more than two hours.
The restaurant they attended - Horses, according to TMZ Sports - is closed Monday, but the owner opened the doors just for the billionaire pair. Both men kept things low-key as they entered and exited the restaurant, with the rapper sporting a beanie and hoodie combination, while Bezos was donned a casual polo.
The news comes amid reports actor Matthew McConaughey has joined the bid in an attempt to prise the franchise from Snyder, who bought the franchise from Jack Kent Cooke’s estate and has endured a reign littered with accusations of a toxic workplace culture, as well as the lack of success sustained by the team. He is reportedly chasing a fee of $7 bln in any total sale of the Commanders.
The Commanders franchise is reportedly valued at roughly $5.6bn (£4.8bn)- despite Snyder buying the team for a comparably measly $800million (£691m) 23 years ago. The Commanders are also trying to build a new stadium, and if approved their plans for development would increase the value of the franchise by a significant amount.
The Bank of America has handled other notable team sales, including when Steve Ballmer purchased the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers in 2014. Meanwhile, the New York Post is reporting that McConaughey has joined the bid alongside Bezos and Jay-Z to purchase the Washington NFL franchise.
American billionaire Todd Boehly is also reportedly in the running to bid for the team, following his successful acquisition of Chelsea Football Club. However, the new Stamford Bridge chief will have to battle former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III and entertainment mogul Byron Allen, who have also both expressed an interest - along with Kevin Durant.
The Brooklyn Nets superstar is a lifelong fan, and explained: “In a perfect world, I would be a part of it. I would love to do it. I would love to give a little bit of my money to be a part of the Commanders, but we'll see. Hopefully it's somebody nice. I heard [Amazon CEO Jeff] Bezos and Jay-Z, but you never know.”
