Washington Post Denies Rumors Jeff Bezos Wants to Sell Paper So He Can Buy a Football Team

AP Photo/John Locher, File

A spokesperson for Jeff Bezos denied a report suggesting the billionaire is looking to sell The Washington Post in an effort to acquire the Washington Commanders.

A Monday report from Josh Kosman at the New York Post said Bezos “may” sell the paper, citing investor sources with knowledge of the situation.

According to the New York Post:

Chatter is growing that Amazon’s billionaire founder is looking to clear the way for a purchase of the Washington Commanders by selling the Washington Post — with speculation boosted last month by leaked video of publisher Fred Ryan disclosing layoff plans at an unruly town hall meeting.

The problem for Bezos reportedly is that the Commanders’ embattled owner, Dan Snyder, is still sore over the storied newspaper’s series of exposes alleging a toxic management culture at the team, where bosses including Snyder allegedly enabled sex harassment.

The New York Post noted however that a spokesperson for Bezos said the Washington Post is not for sale.

A spokesperson for the Post confirmed the paper is not for sale to Mediaite.

What’s more, Bezos told senior staff at The Washington Post recently that he had no plans to sell the paper, which he acquired in 2013.

A recent Axios report suggested Michael Bloomberg is actually interested in potentially purchasing The Washington Post.

Bezos was not part of a first round of bids for the Commanders this year.

The Post itself reported:

Given Bezos’s vast net worth, many concede the team would be his for the taking. But given the uncertainty surrounding his intentions, several groups of prospective buyers are vying to be next in line if Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, opts out or sets a hard cap on what he’s willing to pay, people with ties to the process have said.

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