NFL says owners will not vote on Commanders sale this month

Although it was considered a longshot, the NFL confirmed on Thursday that the league owners would not vote on the pending sale of the Washington Commanders during its Spring League Meetings in Minneapolis next week.

Commanders co-owners Dan and Tanya Snyder have owned the team since 1999 and entered into a purchase agreement last week with a Josh Harris-led sports group for $6.05B. 

"The league staff and finance committee will continue to review the details of the transaction," NFL executive vice president of communications Jeff Miller said during a conference call regarding the meetings, via ESPN. "We will provide membership with an update in Minnesota. … Any transaction like this deserves due process, and we will do it as expeditiously as we can. [We’ve got] plenty of people working on it and doing so is a priority.”

The 12-person ownership group has a reported net worth of approximately $100B. Harris himself is a co-owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils.

The Commanders' sale is subject to a vote of the league’s owners. Twenty-four of the 32 teams need to approve the sale for it to be finalized. The purchase agreement must also be reviewed by the NFL’s finance committee.

The Denver Broncos went through the same process last year when the Walton-Penner family bought the franchise from the Pat Bowlen Trust. The finance committee approved the deal on July 27 and the owners voted on Aug. 9.

The $6.05B transaction would not only be an NFL record but it would also be the largest in sports history. For comparison, the Broncos sold for $4.65B in 2022.

Dan Snyder is under internal investigation by the league for allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace and possible unlawful financial conduct. The inquiry is being led by former U.S. Attorney and Securities and Exchange Commission chair Mary Jo White.