The basketball world was thrown into a frenzy this week when Bill Simmons of The Ringer reported that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was interested in buying the Boston Celtics. This sparked widespread speculation about what it would mean for the world’s second-richest person to own the NBA’s most successful franchise and how such a move could affect the Celtics’ storied culture.
However, those speculations can be laid to rest if Nick Wingfield from The Information is to be trusted. On Tuesday, Wingfield, who has a long history of covering Bezos and Amazon for outlets like WSJ, The New York Times, and The Information, reported that Bezos “has no plans to bid” on the Celtics, according to a source close to the billionaire. Given Wingfield’s expertise, his report likely provides an accurate reflection of Bezos’ interest in the team.
The Celtics are currently valued at $5.12 billion by Sportico, with various insiders estimating that a sale could reach around $6 billion. This figure is nearly $2 billion more than what Mat Ishbia paid for the Phoenix Suns last year.
Bezos has previously been linked to potential purchases of NFL teams, such as the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks. While the Commanders were sold to a Josh Harris-led group for $6.05 billion in 2023, the sale of the Seahawks was postponed due to complications following the death of owner Paul Allen.
In the meantime, Bezos will begin his association with the NBA in the 2025-2026 season when Amazon Prime Video will broadcast 66 regular-season games and knockout games from the in-season tournament.