Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is not interested in buying the Boston Celtics, according to a report from tech publication The Information, contradicting recent claims from media personality Bill Simmons, who suggested Bezos might bid on the NBA franchise after Wyck Grousbeck announced his plans to sell the team.
According to Sportico, the Celtics are currently valued at $5.12 billion, ranking fourth in the NBA and 21st among all professional sports teams in the U.S. The team won its 18th NBA championship in June, further boosting its market capitalization. Nevertheless, Bezos, whose net worth is about $197.3 billion, does not appear to be interested in adding the Celtics to his vast business empire.
The Celtics hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. and BDT & MSD to manage the sale of the team on Aug. 8. Grousbeck, who cited family estate planning as the reason for the sale, plans to execute the sale in two phases, selling 51% of the team now and the remainder in 2028. He plans to retain control until the second phase is complete.
This isn’t the first time Bezos has been reported to be interested in buying a professional sports team: He previously looked into buying the NFL’s Washington Commanders, but former owner Daniel Snyder reportedly removed Bezos from the sale process, with Josh Harris ultimately buying the team in the spring of 2023.