Photo: Nicole Mastrogiannis
Jay-Z and Jeff Bezos are reportedly interested in a partnership to purchase the Washington Commanders, sources with knowledge of the situation told TMZ Sports on Thursday (November 3).
The two billionaires' reported interest comes one day after team owners Dan and Tanya Snyder announced they've hired Bank of America Securities to consider "potential transactions" in relation to the franchise.
"Dan and Tanya Snyder and the Washington Commanders announced today that they have hired BoA Securities to consider potential transactions," the Commanders said in a statement re-shared by CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones on Wednesday (November 2). "The Snyders remain committed to the team, all of its employees and its countless fans to putting the best product on the field and continuing the work to set the gold standard for workplaces in the NFL.
Bezos has long been rumored to have interest in purchasing an NFL franchise, specifically the Commanders, amid the ongoing investigation into franchise's alleged toxic workplace culture under Dan Snyder.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, previously had a stake in ownership of the Brooklyn Nets before Jay-Z, before launching his sports management company Roc Nation Sports.
The Snyders' announcement came weeks after Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said "there's merit to remove" Snyder as owner of the Commanders during the 2022 Fall NFL Meeting on October 18, making him the first NFL team owner to publicly call for Snyder's removal, Front Office Sports' A.J. Perez reported at the time.
The franchise was also reported to be facing a criminal investigation launched by the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of Virginia in relation to allegations that the team "engaged in financial improprieties," ESPN reported on Wednesday (November 2), citing two sources familiar with the situation.
Bezos currently ranks as the second-richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $151 billion, according to Forbes.
Jay-Z has an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion, according to Forbes.