Scott Jackson is in for JP Finlay this week, and he and Brian Mitchell were on air when the news broke that all of DC sports has been waiting for: Daniel Snyder has reached an agreement, according to Sportico, to sell the Washington Commanders for $6 billion to a group led by Sixers and Devils co-owner Josh Harris, which apparently includes NBA legend Magic Johnson.
AJ Perez of Front Office Sports had joined BMitch and Jackson earlier in the day to discuss why Jeff Bezos was out on the bidding, and Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch did as well but a couple hours later, it seemed the speculation was now down to finalization with the Harris group.
So, JP Finlay had to call in and join the guys for some immediate reaction:
“Let’s be clear in the report that it’s agreed to in principle, so this is Dan Snyder we’re talking about – we need pen to paper and wire transfers to make sure it’s done,” JP said. “I was getting texts last night suggesting this thing is happening. Once it became official Bezos wasn’t making a bid, by guess is that at some point, the Harris group said, ‘let’s get this done, put up or shut up.’”
Finlay had ling said it wasn’t going to be Jeff Bezos and has said it would be Harris, and now, adding Mitchell Rales and Magic Johnson to that group only made the bid stronger.
“I know there have been some conversations as far as who new ownership needs to reach out to right away, and I think this thing is moving,” JP said. “When a final contract will be ratified, I don’t know, but I’m not surprised by the timing, and I think it’s very real.”
“The whole thing is that I felt they were trying to use Bezos, and I said he had too much money to be tricked into playing a game,” BMitch replied. “Fertitta came out and said I’m at $5.4 billion and I’m out, and the Harris group knew they had the highest bid, so Snyder has nowhere else to go. You have a group that’s already been vetted by the NFL, so they can’t play this game anymore.”
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As Finlay noted, Harris is a minority owner in the Steelers, so he’s already vetted by the NFL, so this is a slam dunk – but the others in the bidding are now out there in the ethos.
“I think the Fertitta thing was about getting his name in this circles if the Texans ever come up for sale, and I think Steve Apostolopoulos was the same,” JP said. “I firmly believe this is all happening and quite real.”
“If Bezos wanted it, he would’ve got it. He didn’t want it,” BMitch replied.
JP thinks that it will be as close to official as it gets once Adam Schefter gets in on it, but throughout the process, “the Harris group has been extremely tight-lipped, and that’s smart.” He also tweeted that a Commanders spokesperson said “we’re not in position to comment,” so it’s only speculation at this point…like, say, what Magic Johnson’s role may be in this ownership group.
“I think a guy like Magic wants to be the face of this thing, but the biggest thing a new owner gives you is getting rid of the stench of the Snyders, and the possibility of a new stadium and facilities and a new era,” JP said. “It’s just so toxic, so broken, so unprofessional on many levels; we don’t know what Josh Harris will bring, but we know he runs two sports organizations that make the playoffs consistently and don’t embarrass themselves.”
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