Dan Snyder has told other NFL owners they would approve of the current bidders for the Washington Commanders and that the sales price “is looking good,” according to a report from the Washington Post.
The Post, citing a person familiar with the league’s inner workings and the views of the league’s owners, said Snyder and the team have said that there are “multiple bidders” for the Washington franchise from people the NFL and the owners will “love.”
This report came on the day news of Mitchell Rales joining the group being put together by Josh Harris, the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, to bid on the Commanders. Harris is one of three known suitors, along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.
The addition of a Rales to the Harris group makes sense as Josh Kosman of the New York Post told Team 980 in February that Harris and a “mystery bidder” later identified as Fertitta were “having a hard time getting to $6 billion [asking price from Snyder as] they don't have enough cash.”
According to Kosman, Snyder has a $6 billion minimum price, and he later reported an offer – from a bidder later identified as Fertitta – of around $5.5 billion, which was “similar to the amount” offered by Harris.
The addition of another local billionaire to Harris’ group – Rales, who is worth around $5.5 billion and grew up in Bethesda – could put them in the driver's seat to secure the franchise if Snyder decides to sell.
However, while some owners came out of the NFL committee meetings this week in Florida and expressed optimism that Snyder would sell the franchise he has owned since 1999 without being forced by the league, other owners were skeptical the embattled owner would do so voluntarily, the Post reported earlier.
At the meeting this week in Florida, the Commanders’ sale process was discussed by the owners' finance committee, the Post reported. And, the league and owners have received “little feedback” from Dan Snyder about “the specifics of the bidding process,” per the Post.
At those meetings, the owners did not make any decisions about the prospects of voting to remove Snyder if he does not sell the franchise. The owners will meet again at the league’s annual meetings beginning March 26 in Arizona.
Follow @BenKrimmel and @Team980 for more.
Related
Related
