Jeff Bezos planning enormous bid to buy Celtics, per Bill Simmons

According to Bill Simmons, Jeff Bezos could be working on a huge bid for the Celtics.

The Boston Celtics are fresh off winning the 2024 NBA Finals, but they were hit with some shocking news when it was announced that the team was being put up for sale shortly after they won their latest championship. As a result, fans of the team have been anxiously keeping an eye on who has been linked to the purchase of the team, and it looks like Jeff Bezos has become the latest name involved with the sale.

Bezos is one of the richest people in the world as the CEO of Amazon, and he has been looking to purchase a sports franchise in recent years, having recently been linked to the Washington Commanders in the NFL before they were sold to Josh Harris. And according to Bill Simmons, there have been some rumors floating around suggesting that Bezos is plotting a huge bid for the Celtics amid their sale

“The Celtics themselves, the Grousbeck family, the dad of the majority owner Wyc is driving the sale. He’s 90, he’s a legend, he’s going to (get) 25 times what he paid for the team, and he just wants the highest price, he’s not like, ‘Oh these local guys, let’s cut them a deal.’ He doesn’t care, he wants the biggest price he could possibly get. In the last few days there’s been some legitimate buzz about Jeff Bezos buying the Celtics and I think it’s real, I think he’s going to be one of the suitors.” – Bill Simmons, The Bill Simmons Podcast

Could Jeff Bezos actually buy the Celtics?

Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Considering the massive price tag attached to the C’s, which is expected to come in around $6 billion, there are only a few people in the world who have enough money to purchase the team. Bezos is one of those guys, though, and if he is interested in forking over a huge sum of cash, he could end up blowing his competitors out of the water.

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While this is primarily just a rumor right now, there is reason to believe that it could end up happening. As previously noted, Bezos was interested in purchasing the Commanders prior to their sale, and he already has an established link to the NBA, as Amazon Prime will begin broadcasting games starting in 2025.

There’s a long way to go until this officially happens, but it looks like Bezos could be one of the top names in the conversation to buy the Celtics. And if that were to end up happening, that could help Boston in their quest to keep their star-studded group around for the long-term future, even with the league’s new salary cap constraints.

Jeff Bezos Poised to Make Massive Bid for Boston Celtics: Bill Simmons’ Shocking Revelation

In a move that could redefine the landscape of professional sports ownership, Bill Simmons recently dropped a bombshell: Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, is reportedly gearing up to make a colossal bid for the Boston Celtics. This revelation has sparked intense speculation and excitement across the sports and business worlds, with fans and analysts alike eagerly awaiting further details.

Bill Simmons, a renowned sports analyst and commentator, shared this news through his podcast and various social media channels. According to Simmons, Bezos is preparing to place an enormous offer to acquire the Boston Celtics, a storied franchise with a rich history in the NBA. The Celtics, founded in 1946, are one of the most successful and beloved teams in basketball history, boasting a record 17 NBA championships.

While specific figures have not yet been confirmed, Simmons’ assertion implies that Bezos’ bid would be substantial, potentially setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a sports franchise. The current ownership group of the Celtics, led by Wyc Grousbeck and a group of investors, is known for its commitment to maintaining the team’s competitive edge and legacy. Whether they are willing to entertain an offer of this magnitude remains to be seen.

Jeff Bezos is no stranger to high-stakes investments and bold ventures. As the founder and former CEO of Amazon, he revolutionized e-commerce and technology, amassing a fortune estimated at over $150 billion. Beyond Amazon, Bezos has made headlines with his ventures into space through Blue Origin, and his acquisition of The Washington Post, which he has transformed into a leading voice in journalism.

Bezos’ interest in sports is not entirely new. He has been linked to various sports-related investments and ventures, but owning an NBA team would represent a significant new direction. Bezos’ potential involvement with the Celtics could bring a fresh perspective and innovative approaches to the franchise, leveraging his expertise in technology, data analytics, and global marketing.

The Boston Celtics have a storied history, marked by legendary players like Bill Russell, Larry Bird, and Paul Pierce. The team’s success on the court and its iconic status in the NBA make it a prized asset for any potential owner. In recent years, the Celtics have been competitive, with promising young talent and a strong fan base.

However, the team has faced challenges in recent seasons, including injuries and tough playoff exits. A new owner with deep pockets and a visionary approach could potentially provide the resources and strategic guidance needed to restore the Celtics to their former glory. Bezos’ financial power and strategic acumen could play a pivotal role in this process, potentially transforming the team into a dominant force once again.

If Bezos’ bid for the Celtics goes through, it could have significant implications for the NBA and sports ownership in general. The record-setting bid could set a new precedent for franchise valuations, influencing other team owners and potential buyers. It could also lead to increased scrutiny and media attention on sports ownership dynamics and the role of wealthy individuals in shaping the future of professional sports.

Moreover, Bezos’ involvement could lead to innovative changes in how the team is managed and marketed. His background in technology and data could introduce advanced analytics and fan engagement strategies, potentially revolutionizing the way the Celtics operate both on and off the court.

The prospect of Jeff Bezos acquiring the Celtics has elicited mixed reactions from fans and the Boston community. Some supporters are excited about the possibility of a high-profile owner with deep pockets and a track record of success. They hope that Bezos’ involvement could lead to improved team performance and increased investment in the franchise’s infrastructure.

Others, however, are wary of the implications of such a significant ownership change. Concerns about the potential for commercialization and the impact on the team’s historic identity have been raised. The Celtics have long been a cherished part of Boston’s sports culture, and any major shift in ownership could affect the team’s connection with its loyal fan base.

As of now, the specifics of Jeff Bezos’ bid and the response from the Celtics’ current ownership are still unclear. It remains to be seen how negotiations will unfold and whether Bezos’ bid will ultimately lead to a successful acquisition. In the meantime, fans and analysts will be closely watching for updates and developments.

Bill Simmons’ revelation has undoubtedly added a new layer of intrigue to the ongoing narrative of NBA ownership and the future of the Boston Celtics. Whether Bezos will become the next owner of the Celtics or if the bid will fizzle out, one thing is certain: the sports world will be watching closely as this potential game-changing development unfolds.

Jeff Bezos’ reported intention to place a massive bid for the Boston Celtics represents a significant moment in the intersection of sports and business. With his immense wealth, visionary approach, and history of transformative ventures, Bezos could potentially bring a new era of success and innovation to one of the NBA’s most storied franchises. As the situation develops, all eyes will be on the Celtics and their current and prospective owners, eager to see how this high-stakes drama unfolds.

Jon Bon Jovi confirms son’s marriage to Millie Bobby Brown, actress wears ‘wifey’ attire to Universal Studios

The ‘Stranger Things’ star married Jake Bongiovi in a small ceremony

“Stranger Things” actor Matthew Modine recalls first getting his license to marry couples, and previews his upcoming duties in officiating his costar Millie Bobby Brown’s wedding.

Millie Bobby Brown is officially a wife.

Brown, 20, and Jake Bongiovi, 22, tied the knot after announcing their engagement in April 2023.

Jon Bon Jovi confirmed the wedding to the BBC, following much speculation that the pair had wed.

Millie Bobby Brown went to Universal Studios with her new husband, Jake Bongiovi, wearing “wifey” attire. (John Gress/Corbis via Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

“They are great, they are absolutely fantastic,” Bon Jovi told BBC’s “The One Show” on Tuesday, May 28.

“It was a very small family wedding and the bride looked gorgeous, and Jake is happy as can be. It’s true,” Bon Jovi said.

Shortly following the wedding between Brown and Bongiovi, they jetted off to Universal Orlando, where Brown sported “wifey” attire.

In a joint Instagram post, Bongiovi and Brown shared a series of pictures from their trip, playing games, walking through the crowded park hand in hand and posing in front of a dinosaur from “Jurassic Park.”

Brown’s Universal outfit included a pair of jean shorts with “wifey” written across the back and a white baseball cap with pink lettering reading “wife of the party.”

Jake Bongiovi’s father, Jon Bon Jovi, confirmed that his son and the “Stranger Things” star wed in a small ceremony. (Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images)

Rumors of a romance between Brown and Bongiovi began in June 2021, when they began posting photos together on Instagram.

They made their red carpet debut as a couple in March 2022 at the BAFTA Film Awards.

On April 11, 2023, the “Stranger Things” star posted a black and white photo on Instagram with a shiny diamond ring on her left hand, confirming their engagement. 

“I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, I want ‘em all,” she captioned the post, quoting Taylor Swift’s song “Lover.” 

In March 2024, Brown shared the story of Bongiovi’s romantic proposal.

“Jake and I bonded over diving,” Brown said to Jimmy Fallon on an episode of his talk show. “We love diving. We got our diving licenses together.”

Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi got engaged in April 2023. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

“One day, we were on vacation, and he was like ‘Mill, you got to be up at 8:00 a.m., we’re going on a dive’,” the actress continued. “I was like ‘8:00 a.m.? Dive?,’” Brown recalled.

“We go under, and we’re like many meters down. He gives me a shell and I turn it over, and it’s a ring,” Brown said.

Brown then shared the comedic communication, or lack of, between the two after she realized what was happening, as they were still underwater.

Once they got back above water, he put the ring on her finger, and she showed him her sparking diamond.

“As I go to show him, the ring falls off my finger, plummets, like so fast, it was like a cinematic movie,” Brown said.

Luckily, Bongiovi was able to find the ring in the water and bring it back to his fiancé.

“HOT WARNING: Taylor Swift Fans WARNED TO ‘TAY-GATE’ Wembley Concerts, Fearing Security Crisis!”

The pop superstar is set to return to the venue to perform five more shows from Thursday, Aug. 15

Taylor Swift performing during her Eras tour show at Wembley Stadium in June 2024. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty

Taylor Swift fans without tickets to her upcoming London Eras Tour shows have been asked not to gather outside the concert venue.

The Swiftie practice known as “Tay Gating” on social media, which sees fans unable to get into the singer’s shows gathering outside venues to hear their favorite songs, is not allowed at Swift’s next five concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium where she is returning to perform on Thursday, Aug. 15.

A note on the venue’s website reads: “Wembley Stadium is situated in a residential area. We kindly ask that only those with tickets or those visiting our merchandise megastore turn up to the stadium to avoid disruption to the local residents and businesses.”

“To support with the safe entry and exit of everyone within the stadium, no one is allowed to stand outside any entrance or on the Olympic Steps at the front of the stadium.”

The venue added that those without tickets to the show will “be moved on.”

Taylor Swift performing during her Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium on June 21, 2024.Kevin Mazur/Getty

London Police Say There’s ‘Nothing to Indicate’ Terror Plot in Austria Will Impact Taylor Swift’s London Eras Tour Shows

Swift previously performed at the 90,000 capacity venue for three nights in June.

This comes after around 50,000 fans tailgated and camped out in the rolling hills just behind the Olympiastadion in Munich for Swift’s Eras Tour late last month.

Giving her extra fans a shout-out on social media, Swift, 34, wrote on Instagram following her two shows in the German city, “The crowds of 74,000 people a night in the stadium were so passionate, and so generous to us. And I had no idea before I got to Munich that there’s a huge park behind the stadium, but around 50,000 people came out and listened to the show from the hillside both nights.”

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She continued, “I’ve been watching so many videos of the crowds out there fully participating in the show from afar, all that joy… I’m feeling really grateful for the unexpected memories this tour has created.”

Swift’s return to the stage in London comes after her Vienna concerts at Ernst Happel Stadium on Aug. 8-10 were canceled following an alleged terror attack. Authorities confirmed on Aug. 7 that two men had been arrested in connection with the planned attack.

A third suspect was arrested the next day, multiple outlets reported at the time.

Taylor Swift returns to London’s Wembley Stadium on Aug. 15.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Why Were Taylor Swift’s Vienna Shows Canceled? What We Know About the Alleged Terror Plot, So Far

Ahead of Swift’s London shows, Wembley Stadium disclosed on its website that “everyone will be checked before entry” and “no weapons of any kind” are permitted.

The Metropolitan Police has denied that the alleged terror plot has had an impact on the upcoming shows, previously telling PEOPLE in a statement, “There’s nothing to indicate that the matters being investigated by the Austrian authorities will have an impact on upcoming events here in London.”

They added that the capital’s venue hosts “a significant number of very high profile events each year with millions of visitors having a safe and enjoyable experience.”

Swift will be supported by Paramore and several other supporting artists, including Griff and Suki Waterhouse, at the London shows, which run until Aug. 20.

WATCH: Jaylen Brown Shares Hilarious Video of Blake Griffin at Celtics Player’s Wedding

Six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin announced his retirement from basketball earlier this summer. An LA Clippers legend, Griffin spent eight seasons in Los Angeles after being selected first-overall in the 2009 NBA draft.

Griffin ended his career with the Boston Celtics in 2023, serving as a veteran leader and role player off their bench before calling it a career. Building a strong bond with his Celtics teammates, Griffin still has a relationship with many of them, including guard Payton Pritchard.

In a post on X, 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown shared a hilarious video of Griffin officiating Pritchard’s wedding:

In the video, Griffin could be heard making the attendees laugh with some lighthearted jokes. With a passion for comedy, Griffin has done stand up comedy along with work on different comedy films. Bringing those vibes to the Celtics last season, Griffin was always the veteran who kept the team loose.

In addition to his role as a veteran leader, Griffin had a strong impact on the court for Boston as well.

Pritchard was one of the players openly advocating for Griffin to return to Boston last season, but the five-time All-NBA forward was done playing.

“We begged him to,” Pritchard said when asked during the season why Griffin was no longer playing. “We’ve been begging him to.”

The Celtics ended up winning the NBA championship, which would have been really cool to see Griffin be a part of.

Jayson Tatum Addresses 2028 Olympic Participation

 

The Paris Olympics were a trying experience for Jayson Tatum. It’s one he labeled “challenging and humbling.”

However, getting benched twice against Serbia and playing a smaller role than anticipated in the United States men’s basketball team’s run to a gold medal may prove to be moments he’s forever grateful for if they help fuel the ascent of a 26-year-old star entering the peak of his powers as he builds his legacy.

Regarding how it might impact his decision whether to participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the three-time All-NBA First Team selection stated, “It was a tough personal experience on the court, but I’m not going to make any decision off emotions,” per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

“If you asked me right now if I was going to play in 2028 — it is four years from now, and I [would have] to take time and think about that. So I’m not going to make any decision based off (of) how this experience was or how I felt individually.”

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With Team USA facing the prospect of losing LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry, not having Tatum back in the fold would be a significant blow, even with the abundance of top-tier talent they have to choose from.

If the Celtics star returns, he could play a leading role — like he did as Team USA’s second-leading scorer at the Tokyo Olympics — in leading the U.S. to the top of the podium for a sixth straight time.

Doing so would move Tatum one gold medal from matching Durant, who just became the first player to win gold four times in men’s Olympic basketball.

Jason Kelce Shuts Down Rumors of Returning to the NFL: ‘My Days of Playing Are Just Done’

The retired football star is dropping weight and plans to add new career highlights

Jason Kelce on July 14, 2024. Photo: Isaiah Vazquez/Getty

Jason Kelce is losing weight — and not looking back.

As the retired NFL star moves forward with his post-football career, he is putting an end to any “un-retirement” talk after trimming 20 pounds from his frame and aiming for more.

“They’re not going to call me to come back and play center at 260 pounds, and I’m moving on to the next thing and I’m excited to watch Cam [Jurgens],” Kelce, 36, told the Associated Press, referring to the Philadelphia Eagles’ new center.

Kelce added, “And for me personally, my days of playing are just done and I do not foresee any scenario taking place other than maybe medicine inventing a way to get rid of arthritis that I would ever entertain coming back at all anymore.”

Jason Kelce Says He Wanted to Retire Every Year for the Last 4 Seasons but ‘Still Had It in Me’ (Exclusive)

Now, the Monday Night Countdown star is starting a new chapter as a broadcaster — even if he still spends time at his former team’s training camp, whether it’s taking his annual family picture with wife Kylie and daughters Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett, or offering words of wisdom to his football family.

In an emotional and enthusiastic speech last month, Kelce shared his perspective on what it takes to succeed in the league.

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“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence — talent will not,” he told the team in a video posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday, July 22. “I was a walk-on coming out of high school. They told me I wasn’t good enough. So I got drafted and everyone said I was too small, I didn’t have what it takes.”

In June, the New Heights co-host revealed in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE that retirement had actually been on his mind for quite awhile.

“I’ll be very honest, the last four years I’ve wanted to retire at the end of seasons,” Kelce told PEOPLE.

And as for his plans this year on any given Sunday?

“I’ve played in the NFL for a very long time,” he told PEOPLE. “I have not been able to experience it as a fan for the most part. So obviously I’ll be working Monday nights, but that means Sundays are open, Thursdays are open. So I got some time to potentially take in the actual game-day atmosphere from a different lens now that the playing days are behind.”

Everyone Is Confused After Travis Kelce’s Ex Kayla Nicole Commented On Kylie Kelce’s Instagram Post

Kayla Nicole and Kylie Kelce (via Getty Images)
Travis Kelce is one of the most famous players in the NFL right now. Not only does he play for the Chiefs, but his girlfriend is Taylor Swift. Being associated with the tightened has its perks, and Kayla Nicole benefits from such.

Nicole is the younger Kelce’s ex-girlfriend. The two began dating in 2017, staying together until 2022. After being together for five years, one would assume the couple would get acquainted with each other’s families. Therefore, Nicole probably knows a thing or two about Donna, Jason, and, of course, Kylie.

NFL fans seem to have been surprised when it was revealed that Kayla Nicole’s relationship with the rest of the Kelce family hadn’t been torn down as well after an Instagram comment in March.

Kylie took to Instagram in March to inform the world of the passing of her and Jason’s beloved dog, Winn. “She was everything I hoped for in a wolfie and more,” Kelce wrote in a tribute to her little puppy.

She added that she had “lost part of my soul today” after the poor dog’s passing. She noted that she is happy to know that Winn is at peace. It wasn’t the unfortunate and untimely passing that caught fans’ eyes, as they were shocked to see Nicole had commented on the saddening post.

Fans Are Calling Kayla Nicole Out After Her Comment On Kylie Kelce’s Post

Travis left a sweet message to his sister-in-law, “You [gave] Winnie an amazing life Ky.” Subsequently, Nicole added to the post’s comment section, “Winnie girl. What a sweet life she lived,” followed by a white heart.

Fans immediately started attacking the younger Kelce brother’s ex, commenting she should’ve DM’d Kylie instead. Other fans, of course, brought Swift into the debacle after pointing out that she didn’t comment and it “speaks to the type of person she is.”

Other fans defended Nicole, pointing out that “people are so immature,” while another added something that we could all agree with, that users should keep this “foolish nonsense” away from Kelce’s post after she lost who she considered her first child.