It’s been only a day since the news came out that Jeff Bezos will not be bidding for the Washington Commanders. Now, fresh reports suggest billionaire Josh Harris and his group have agreed to pay Dan Snyder $6 billion dollars for the Commanders. With the agreement already done in principle, it begs the question: who is Josh Harris? How has he made his immense fortune?
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The Washington Commanders went up for sale when owner Dan Snyder was hit with a myriad of accusations. Ranging from sexual misconduct to financial mismanagement, it ultimately led to an NFL investigation, followed by a congressional hearing. There were even rumors floating around that the other NFL owners might just vote him out of the ownership, an unprecedented move for the league.
Josh Harris: The next potential owner of the Washington Commanders
Josh Harris is what one would call a dream American businessman. Born in Maryland, Harris graduated from Wharton (Uni. Pennsylvania) and has an MBA from Harvard. He started a private equity firm, Apollo Global Management, in 1990, which was his backbone up until he left the company in 2022. He has invested in other ventures as well and also owns stakes in various sports teams, including the Steelers.
Forbes values Harris’ net worth at around $5.9 billion, while some other sources are placing him even higher. However, he is not purchasing the Commanders on his own. Rather, he is leading a consortium of businessmen, which includes famous people such as Mitchell Rales, and NBA legend Magic Johnson. Reportedly, even Kevin Durant might be interested in having a piece of this cake, if things go well.
Commanders fans will be delighted to have Harris as their next owner
This deal will make a lot of people happy. Snyder will be happy because he got what he wanted. The NFL owners will be happy to be rid of Snyder. Harris will be happy to have another team in his portfolio. However, the Commanders fans will be the happiest. Not just because Snyder is leaving, but Harris’ track record with sports teams is something incredible.
His management of the Philadelphia 76ers, in particular the ticket pricing reforms, will resonate with the Commanders’ fanbase. Not just that, Harris’ presence gave the 76ers a boost of some sort, reaching the playoffs 7 times in just 12 years. If that luck somehow transfers over to Washington, the fans could be in for a real treat. Will Harris lead the Commanders into an era of success?
