The Washington Commanders are one step nearer to having new house owners.

On Friday afternoon the group and a gaggle of potential patrons led by Josh Harris introduced that they’ve entered into a purchase order and sale settlement. The potential new possession group is led by Harris, the proprietor and founding father of Harris Blitzer Sports activities & Leisure (HBSE) at the moment owns and operates two different skilled sports activities franchises, the New Jersey Devils, and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Different members of the brand new potential possession group embrace Mitch Rales, David Blitzer, and Magic Johnson.

The concerned events launched a joint assertion on Friday.

“On behalf of our complete possession group — together with Mitch Rales, my longtime sports activities enterprise associate David Blitzer and Earvin Magic Johnson — I need to categorical how excited we’re to be thought-about by the NFL to be the subsequent house owners of the Washington Commanders and the way dedicated we’re to delivering a championship-caliber franchise for this metropolis and its fanbase,” mentioned Harris.

“Rising up in Chevy Chase, I skilled first-hand the joy across the workforce, together with its three Tremendous Bowl victories and long-term successful tradition,” he added. “We sit up for the formal approval of our possession by the NFL within the months forward and to having the glory to function accountable and accountable stewards of the Commanders franchise shifting ahead.”

Present co-owners Dan and Tanya Snyder had this to say:

“We’re very happy to have reached an settlement for the sale of the Commanders franchise with Josh Harris, an space native, and his spectacular group of companions. We sit up for the immediate completion of this transaction and to rooting for Josh and the workforce within the coming years.”

Dan Snyder purchased the franchise in 1999 for $800 million. The reported value of the Commanders is $6.05 billion, a document. That tops the earlier document of $4.65 billion set when Rob Walton’s group purchased the Denver Broncos a yr in the past.

The deal must be accepted by a vote of the present league house owners, with 24 votes essential for approval. The spring league assembly is about for the top of the month.

In accordance with an replace from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Community late Friday afternoon, the house owners will obtain an replace on the potential sale on the Might assembly. Ought to the sale not be prepared for a ultimate vote, house owners will reconvene at a later date:

Snyder had lengthy maintained that he wouldn’t promote the workforce, however continued investigations by each the league and Congress into the office atmosphere throughout the group put strain on him to promote the franchise. A congressional investigation discovered that Snyder was answerable for fostering a poisonous office atmosphere, and the slew of inquiries into the Commanders’ office atmosphere and litigation relating to season ticket holders led some house owners, most notably Jim Irsay, to recommend it is likely to be time to take away Snyder.

Following that suggestion by Irsay, it was introduced that the Snyders have been exploring a possible sale of the Commanders.