(Updated at 9:05 a.m.) Dan Snyder may finally be selling the Washington Commanders.
News reports yesterday heralded the news that Snyder, who has provided over a long stretch of football futility and ugly controversies, has hired bankers to explore a partial or full sale of the NFL team.
From the #Commanders: https://t.co/qxr3gQ5iwJ pic.twitter.com/uFJLXogmGx
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 2, 2022
While the “sell the team” masses rejoice, it’s by no means a done deal and now speculation turns to who might buy the ‘manders.
The current betting favors Snyder selling, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is atop the list of potential buyers. And Bezos is reportedly “looking into” buying the team, potentially in partnership with Jay-Z, People and TMZ reported Thursday afternoon. Given that Amazon’s under-construction HQ2 is in Arlington, this seems like a local story for us!
Bezos to the rescue @PFTCommenter. https://t.co/A3nwOE9Ora
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 3, 2022
We’ve taken the liberty of coming up with six other Arlington-affiliated potential buyers, for your consideration.
Some of the following are actually mentioned elsewhere as potential buyers, while others are purely wild speculation or wishful thinking.
Jeff Bezos
One of the world’s richest men has transitioned from tech CEO to being a buyer of huge yachts and enjoyer of fancy vacations, so he seems like a Prime candidate to buy an NFL team.
MacKenzie Scott
The ex-wife of Jeff Bezos has turned her 4% ownership of Amazon into an increaingly lauded career as an unassuming philanthropist. Buying a controversy-riddled football team seems out of character, but you never know.
Ted Leonsis
The former AOL executive owns the Wizards, the Mystics, and the Capitals — which has team offices and practice facilities in Ballston — so clearly he is someone who enjoys owning professional sports franchises. But he’s currently trying to buy the Nationals so might be a bit stretched at the moment.
Charles Koch
His libertarian-leaning institute and other associated organizations are based in Arlington, and he’s got more than enough money. Plus, selling the team to Charles Koch, noted for his financial contributions to the GOP, would allow Snyder one last thumb of the nose at those on Capitol Hill most vocal about driving him out.
Michael Bloomberg
The former New York mayor’s media and financial information empire has a major office in Crystal City and he previously had a campaign office in Pentagon City for his failed presidential bid. He wasn’t able to take the White House, but maybe FedEx Field is within reach?
Sands family
Sands Capital manages tens of billions of dollars from its Rosslyn offices and its late founder, who grew up in Arlington and attended W-L High School, made the largest ever gift to the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business prior to his passing. We have no idea if they have the money — net worth figures could not be found — but this is the most Arlington-connected family with significant wealth we could come up with.
Mars family
The Mars family and their eponymous, multi-national candy corporation are most associated with McLean, where the company is headquartered, but Mars, Inc. chair John Franklyn Mars (worth some $50 billion) was born in Arlington in 1935. The family has been mentioned elsewhere as potential local buyers, though a spokesperson told ARLnow after publication that “the Mars family is absolutely not going to buy the Commanders.”
Sheila Johnson
The co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts isn’t on the Forbes billionaires list, but her net worth is reported to be at least in the upper $100s of millions. Johnson is a co-owner of the Caps and Wizards and managing partner of the Mystics, so she has pro sports ownership experience. Her Arlington connections include being married to Arlington County Circuit Court Chief Judge William T. Newman, Jr. and speaking at last year’s Marymount University commencement.
Given those Arlington-linked options, who would you most like to see buy the Commanders?