The Dan Snyder era in Washington has (almost) officially come to an end. NFL owners unanimously approved the $6.05 billion sale of the Commanders on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A deal had been struck months ago but several small hurdles remained in the way before the deal could be approved. Finally, the owners approved of the sale just months before the start of the 2023 NFL regular season.
Ownership now shifts from Snyder and his family to an ownership group led by Josh Harris. This won’t be his first experience with a professional sports franchise, also having ownership stakes in the NBA‘s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also released a statement regarding the news on Thursday.
“NFL clubs today unanimously approved the sale of the Washington Commanders to Josh Harris and his limited partners at a special league meeting in Minneapolis,” the statement started.
In order for the sale to receive approval, 24 of the 32 owners needed to vote in favor. Obviously, the unanimous decision took care of that.
“Congratulations to Josh Harris and his impressive group of partners,” Goodell wrote. “Josh will be a great addition to the NFL. He has a remarkable record in business, sports, and in his communities. The diverse group that Josh has put together is outstanding for its business acumen and strong Washington ties and we welcome them to the NFL as well.
“I met Josh several years ago, prior to his acquisition of an interest in the Steelers and have been fortunate to get to know him better over the past few months. I know he has a commitment to winning on the field, but also to running an organization that everyone will be proud of — and making positive contributions to the community.”
News of the owners’ vote comes just days after the NFL reached an agreement with Snyder of legal issues.
A deal for Harris and his ownership group to acquire the team was originally reached, in principle, in April. But these things take time. During the NFL Draft, Goodell hoped that the sale could be made official at some point in May or June.
Instead, it occurred closer to August. Better late than never, right?
Now that the drama has concluded, the Commanders can begin to move forward towards the 2023 season. The team will also finally move on from one of the worst owners in sports.
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