The Washington Commanders could be sold as soon as March, NBC Sports Washington reported Tuesday.
The new league year starts at 4 p.m. on March 15, and the NFL’s annual meeting is at the end of March.
The candidates for new ownership are still unclear, though the Washington Post reported Tuesday that several groups submitted bids before a late December date requested by BofA Securities, the investment bank handling the sale. No candidate reached Daniel Snyder’s $7 billion asking price, the Washington Post reported.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, an early favorite among potential candidates, did not submit an official bid, according to multiple reports. That does not eliminate the possibility of Bezos making a bid later.
The Commanders have said that Snyder and his wife Tanya Snyder, the co-CEO, will “consider potential transactions” for the franchise — whether selling all or part of the team.
Multiple reports have said Todd Boehly, another front-runner for ownership, is exiting the bidding. Raised in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, Md., Boehly is the CEO of Eldridge Industries, chairman of Chelsea Football Club and part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB), Lakers (NBA) and Sparks (WNBA).
Josh Harris, co-founder of Apollo Global Management and owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, is considered another leading candidate. He was part of a group pursuing the Denver Broncos before they were sold to the Walton-Penner Group.
Spokespersons for Harris, who was raised in Chevy Chase, Md., have repeatedly declined to comment. A Commanders spokesperson had no comment on any potential transaction Tuesday, NBC Sports Washington reported.
–Field Level Media
