Founder, president and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, reportedly has interest in purchasing an NFL team.
Bezos became the world’s wealthiest person in 2017, when his net worth passed $90 billion. As of November 2019, his net worth is estimated to be over $112 billion.
He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and raised in Houston, Texas. His two hometown teams, the Cardinals and the Texans, are currently not in a position to be bought. Even though Cardinals owner, Bill Bidwill, passed away last month.
It is also worth noting that Amazon and the NFL already have a relationship. Through Amazon’s streaming service, Prime owners can stream Thursday Night Football games that would otherwise only be available through NFL Network. So, the groundwork has already been laid for him to further the partnership between Bezos and the league.
If he is truly interested, the list of teams he could buy is short. Here, TGH will take a look at the most likely options for the richest man in the world, if he wants to dive into NFL ownership.
Washington Football Team
WFT owner Dan Snyder has taken a lot of heat in past years. From bad front office decisions to his refusal to change the name of the team, he one of the least-popular owners in the NFL. Lately, though he and Washington seem to be on the right track.
That being said, Bezos and Snyder have reportedly spent some time together have forged a relationship. Snyder likely has little to no interest in selling the team outright, but Bezos could still buy a minority stake in the team. That would lead to split ownership of one of the league’s most lucrative franchises.
Unless he could buy a majority stake, or split the franchise 50/50 with Snyder, then Snyder would still have control of the franchise.
But the real draw for bringing in Bezos would be a new stadium. FedEx Field sits in Landover, Maryland, which is 10 miles away from the capital. Snyder is very interested in a stadium within D.C.’s city limits, and bringing in a man worth $112 billion would go a long way in making that happen.
Bezos also has plenty of ties to D.C., as well. He is moving to the area, and also owns the Washington Post, one of the biggest and most influential newspapers in the country.
The Redskins are also in the adolescent stage of a rebuild, which would present a new challenge for Bezos. Again, this is just a rumor so speculation is broad. There is no evidence he would want to be involved in the running of the team that extends down to the field.
But with the friendship, the draw of a new stadium and the fact that Bezos would have the opportunity to put his fingerprints on the league in a significant way, Washington seems like a good investment.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos’ ownership situation is fraught to say the least. Legal issues and lawsuits have inundated the team lately, and the NFL is concerned.
Bezos could come in and alleviate these concerns in one fell swoop. Assuming he is allowed to buy the team outright or with another party, the Bowlens could fix their legal issues while not running a hugely popular NFL franchise.
A Broncos and Bezos partnership would be for convenience’s sake more than anything. He does not have firm ties to the area, and, apart from legal troubles we will not dive into, the Broncos are run competently.
If the NFL wants to get him involved and also solve a PR issue, this pairing works well. It is probably the least likely of the three listed here, though, as an acquisition would probably be very messy and complicated.
Seattle Seahawks
Seahawks owner, Paul Allen, passed away in October of 2019. His trust still owns the team, although this is not a permanent fix. The team will need to be sold soon, and this is the path Bezos could take to join the NFL in the shortest amount of time.
Seattle is also an incredibly lucrative franchise. Their fans are among the most passionate in the league, and despite the Legion of Boom being dismantled, they are still finding ways to compete in the NFC West.
A team that has been exceptionally well-run in the past could be enticing to Bezos, if he wants to be more of a hands-off owner. Their front office is solid, the coaching staff is still great and they produce wins and a ton of money in the Pacific northwest.
Speculating on business interests is mostly futile, because Bezos can do whatever he wants business-wise. But it is worth noting that Seattle is an information and technology hub that would create even more opportunities for him to grow his wealth.
For a short-term solution to get him involved, this move would be a win-win for the NFL and Bezos.
Featured Image courtesy of Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
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