Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey has joined Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and rap icon Jay-Z in their attempt 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 $114bn (£98.5bn). The New York Post is reporting that McConaughey has joined their point bid to purchase the Washington NFL franchise.
“Matthew has always been a huge fan and his ties with the team go way back,” the source told the Post. “They support his foundation and he's good pals with Dan Snyder — he and [supermodel wife Camilla Alves] were on Dan's yacht over the Super Bowl last year.”
McConaughey grew up in Texas where the Commanders’ NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys dominate the market, but he rooted for the Redskins, the former name of the team. The 53-year-old reportedly preferred Washington to Dallas because former Redskins linebacker Chris Hanburger’s name was nearly the same as hamburger - his favourite food.
He is close with Snyder, who bought the franchise from Jack Kent Cooke’s estate. He has endured a reign littered with accusations of a toxic workplace culture, as well as the lack of success sustained by the team.
The Commanders franchise is reportedly valued at roughly $5.6bn (£4.8bn) after Snyder bought the team for approximately $800million (£691m) 23 years ago. The Commanders - who are 4-4 in the 2022 season - are also trying to build a new stadium, which could significantly increase the value of the franchise.
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Chelsea FC owner Todd Boehly is also reportedly in the running to bid for the team. The American owns stakes in Major League Baseball franchise Los Angeles Dodgers and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. However, he faces competition from former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III and entertainment mogul Byron Allen.
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant has also voiced interest in buying the team given he is a lifelong fan. Speaking to ESPN, the former MVP said: “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.
“I mean, how long has [Dan Snyder] had it now - 20-something years? He's probably the only owner I've known since I've been alive for the Redskins/Commanders. So it's definitely shocking to see him put them up because it's his baby. NFL teams are precious, they're important.
“But that's going to be a team that everybody - everybody wants to be a part of the league. It's one of the most lucrative teams in sports, so I'm sure there's going to be a lot of bidders.”
Fans of the Commanders will be desperate for Snyder to sell not least because the team have been frankly terrible since he took over. The three-time Super Bowl champions have reached the playoffs just six times since 1999, and current head coach Ron Rivera is the 10th since Snyder bought the franchise.
