New Chapter

NFL fans rejoice in hopes that the controversial years during the Snyder era are now behind them

A group of investors led by Josh Harris that includes Magic Johnson has agreed to purchase the Washington Commanders after years of controversy under longtime-owner Daniel Snyder and his family, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Harris and Snyder announced the deal in a joint statement Friday, about a month after reaching an agreement of $6.05 billion for the club, the team’s home stadium FedEx Field, along with its headquarters and practice facilities in Ashburn, Va.

While the deal is still pending approval, it would surpass the North American record for the sale of a pro-sports franchise — previously held by the $4.55 billion Walmart heir Robert Walton shelled out for the Denver Broncos last year.

“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement for the sale of the Commanders franchise with Josh Harris, an area native, and his impressive group of partners”, Dan and Tanya Snyder said in a statement. “We look forward to the prompt completion of this transaction and to rooting for Josh and the team in the coming years.”

Fans took to social media to celebrate Snyder’s reign over the Commanders coming to an end. Last year, the NFL reportedly pressured him to sell the club after a yearlong inquiry by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform found that Synder, along with N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell, suppressed evidence that Snyder and team executives sexually harassed women who worked for the team over the course of two decades. In 2021, the NFL concluded its own investigation, which remains sealed, and fined the Commanders $10 million.

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Harris, a native of Washington, D.C. who also own the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, expressed his excitement to helm a team he watched gain “three Super Bowl victories.”

“We look forward to the formal approval of our ownership by the NFL in the months ahead and to having the honor to serve as responsible and accountable stewards of the Commanders franchise moving forward,” Harris said in statement. “We look forward to running a world-class organization and making significant investments on and off the field to achieve excellence and have a lasting and positive impact on the community.”