Top bids to buy the Washington Commanders fell far short of owner Dan Snyder’s $6 billion cutoff — while billionaire Jeff Bezos has been forced to the sidelines, sources told The Post.
An unidentified bidder came in with an offer of around $5.5 billion by this week’s deadline, which was similar to the amount offered by 76ers and Devils owner Josh Harris, sources close to the situation said.
Bezos, who’s worth more than $100 billion, was prevented by Snyder from entering the private auction though the Amazon
AMZN,
-2.42%
founder wanted to participate, sources said.
Bezos and Snyder did not return calls for comment. Harris declined comment.
As The Post previously reported, Snyder holds a grudge against Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, which published a series of exposes alleging Snyder enabled sex harassment at the maligned NFL franchise.
The reports led to the NFL putting pressure on Snyder to sell the team. But now that Snyder didn’t get his asking price, he may decide to maintain his grip on Washington, which he bought for a then-record $800 million in 1999.
“He’s an ass and he may not want to give it up,” a source closely watching the sale said.
Bezos has quietly stalked the sales process. This week, he hired an investment bank to explore a bid for the team, the Washington Post reported.
But the reality is Bezos has been working with Allen & Co. for months and has long been interested, two sources close to the situation said.
“He wants to say [to the NFL] don’t let them say we weren’t here,” the source closely watching the sale said.
NFL owners may yet pressure Snyder to sell to Bezos so it raises the value of all teams.
A decision on whether Snyder will finally walk away from the team he rooted for as a child is expected by the annual owners’ meeting that begins March 26, sources said.
A version of this report appears on NYPost.com.
