Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has hired an investment firm as he looks into a potential purchase of the Commanders franchise, according to a report from The Washington Post.
Bezos has employed Allen & Company, which is a New York-based investment firm that specializes in transactions involving sports franchises. Per the report, the hiring of Allen & Company represents a “concrete sign” of Bezos’s interest in a potential purchase, as he is clearly conducting due diligence on a potential transaction.
Allen & Company was involved in two of the most recent sales involving NFL franchises: the Panthers in 2018 and the Broncos in ’22.
The future of the Commanders’ franchise has been clouded by looming questions regarding whether or not the Snyder family will sell the team. However, the Snyder family hired Bank of America in November as they explored options to potentially sell a stake or all of the franchise.
The pressure on the Snyder family to sell the team came after numerous allegations of workplace misconduct under Dan Snyder’s watch, which culminated in an investigation by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The investigation found that Snyder “permitted and participated in” a toxic work culture over two decades, per the report released in December.
If the Snyder family does elect to sell, it’s clear that there is plenty of interest in the franchise, with Bezos likely at the front of the line.
