Jeff Bezos may be considering a bid for the fourth most valuable team in the NBA.
Rumors, which gained traction on Monday, suggest that the Amazon founder and the world’s second-richest person might plot a $6 billion purchase of the Boston Celtics.
Bill Simmons, the sports media personality and Boston native, credited the speculation on his podcast. “In the last few days, there’s been some legitimate buzz about Jeff Bezos buying the Celtics and I think it’s real,” Simmons said. “I think he’s going to be one of the suitors.”
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The Celtics, who won the 2024 NBA finals, were unexpectedly put up for sale by Boston Basketball Partners LLC – the group led by majority owner Wyc Grousbeck – just weeks after securing the championship. According to Forbes, the team’s value soared to an estimated $4.7 billion, making it the fourth most valuable franchise in the NBA.
A $6 billion deal would represent a 24.29% premium over its current value.
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According to Forbes, Bezos, with a net worth of $195.3 billion, is one of the few individuals with enough money to make the purchase. Adding to the speculation is his previous interest in sports team ownership, as he was linked to a bid for the NFL’s Washington Commanders before being outbid by Josh Harris, according to NBC Sports.
Should Bezos compete for the purchase of the Celtics, the potential sale would be complicated. Grousbeck outlined a two-part sale structure to CNBC last month, with 51% of the team to be sold immediately and the remaining 49% to change hands in 2028.
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For Bezos, acquiring the Celtics could be more than just a trophy asset. Amazon Prime is set to begin broadcasting NBA games in 2025, potentially creating synergies between team ownership and the tech giant’s media ambitions.
However, any new owner of the Celtics will face immediate financial challenges. According to Athlon Sports, the team is poised to incur luxury tax penalties as soon as 2025 because of its efforts to keep its winning roster intact.
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Bezos’s purchase of the Celtics would add to a broader trend of business magnates entering the sports ownership arena. He would join the likes of Mark Cuban, who owns 27% of the Dallas Mavericks; Steve Ballmer, who owns the Los Angeles Clippers; David Tepper, who owns the Carolina Panthers; Dan Gilbert, who owns the Cleveland Cavaliers; and others who own storied franchises across the NFL and NBA.
While the prospect of the Amazon founder taking the team’s reins is still speculative, Chris Mannix, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, said on X (formerly Twitter) that a Bezos-Celtics bid would “undoubtedly” be welcome.
So, the idea of the Amazon founder sitting courtside, watching his team face off against Cuban’s Mavericks (as we saw during the 2024 NBA Finals), no longer seems far-fetched.
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This article Is Jeff Bezos Plotting A $6 Billion Purchase? ‘I Think It’s Real’ – The Billionaire Eyes The Boston Celtics originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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