Commanders sale on hold as NFL provide update on Magic Johnson-led deal
Washington Commanders fans waiting for the end of the Daniel Snyder era will have to wait a bit longer.
The NFL has confirmed a vote on the $6.05billion (£4.9b) takeover led by Philadelphia 76ers and Crystal Palace owner Josh Harris and his consortium, which includes NBA legend Magic Johnson, will not take place at next week's spring meetings, delaying a decision on the bid until the summer.
The owners of the 32 franchises are convening in Minneapolis on Sunday and Monday and the proposed sale of the Commanders will be on the agenda, but the NFL's executive vice president Jeff Miller has confirmed there will be no vote.
"The league staff and finance committee will continue to review the details of the transaction," Miller told ESPN. "We will provide membership with an update in Minnesota.
"There'll be an update for the membership on the purchase-and-sales agreement. There will not be any votes at this time.
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"Any transaction like this deserves due process, and we will do it as expeditiously as we can. (We have) plenty of people working on it, and doing so is a priority."
Beleaguered Commanders fans are desperate to see the back of Snyder after two decades of moribund performance on the field, and the franchise was fined $10million after an NFL investigation in 2021 followed a Washington Post expose, which shed light on a toxic working culture and sexual harassment in the organisation.
The sale of the team – a record-breaking deal for a sports franchise – took a huge step forward last week with an official agreement being announced.
The NFL is eager to see the back of controversial Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder after a series of controversies. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)Harris said in a statement: "On behalf of our entire ownership group – including Mitch Rales, my long-time sports business partner David Blitzer and Earvin Magic Johnson – I want to express how excited we are to be considered by the NFL to be the next owners of the Washington Commanders and how committed we are to delivering a championship-calibre for this city and its fanbase.
"Growing up in Chevy Chase, I experienced first-hand the excitement around the team, including its three Super Bowl victories and long-term winning culture. We look forward to the formal approval of our ownership by the NFL in the months ahead and to having the honour to serve as responsible and accountable stewards of the Commanders franchise moving forward.
"We are looking forward to running a world-class organisation and making significant investments on and off the field to achieve excellence and have a lasting and positive impact on the community."
In addition to owning stakes in Premier League club Palace and NBA franchise the 76ers, Harris also has the New Jersey Devils ice hockey team in his portfolio of assets. Per ESPN, the net worth of the consortium set to take control of the Commanders is in the region of $100b.
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