Washington Commanders To Be Sold At Record-Setting Value To Pro Sports Mogul

The long-standing rumors about Amazon founder Jeff Bezos simply waiting in the wings to scoop up the Washington Commanders appear to only be such as Jeff Harris' group is now in the process of acquiring the NFL franchise from owner Dan Snyder.

As first reported by Sportico, the Harris-led Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment group has "reached an agreement in principle to acquire the Washington Commanders for $6 billion, according to people familiar with the matter".

"Harris and Commanders owner Dan Snyder are hoping to execute a contract in the coming days, said the people, who were granted anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the transaction publicly," the report later added while also noting both sides declined to comment on the matter.

It is worth noting at this point that the deal is nowhere near complete at this stage and that a deal is only expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

Should it come to fruition, the $6 billion bid that Harris and his group, which also features NBA icon Earvin "Magic" Johnson, will set a new record for an American sports franchise as it surpasses the Walton-Penner group's $4.65 billion that it paid for the Denver Broncos in mid-2022.

Earlier in the month, Bezos was rumored to be the front-runner for Snyder's Commanders as he has an established connection with the fellow billionaire.

According to those close to the situation at the time, there was considerable concern that Bezos' name was being hinted for two reasons: for Snyder to drive up the asking price and use such bids as Bezos' own personal measuring stick for a potential bid.

However, it was reported on Wednesday evening that Bezos, who was yet to submit a bid then, was dipping out from the race for the Commanders with no clear reason being presented.

Harris' roots in the Washington area run deep as he had grown up around its metropolitan area and attended preparatory school The Field School.

For Snyder, the impending sale will mark the end of his 24-year tenure as owner of the Commanders when he bought the franchise in 1999 for $800 million back when they were still known as the Washington Redskins.

In order to fully install Harris as the newest member of the owners' circle, a minimum of 24 other owners must approve of the sale and he must also sell his minority stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Commanders' on-field product in recent years has been lukewarm, to say the least, as they have failed to get past the Wild Card round in four postseason appearances since 2007.

Stability up top is expected to bring success to the franchise, and with how Harris' group has run the Philadelphia 76ers, happy days will likely be in their future.