The Owners Who Run Teams for the Money
Later this year, the NFL will almost certainly approve the sale of the Washington Commanders to a group led by Josh Harris. The private-equity investor already owns majority shares of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, and a sizable piece of Crystal Palace in soccer’s English Premier League. To buy the Commanders, Harris and 16 partners will pay $6 billion, the largest sum ever spent on a sports team—unless England’s Manchester United, which is currently entertaining offers from at least two potential buyers, goes for more in the interim.
Why should the Commanders, whose home market is and who haven’t won a playoff game since 2005, be worth more than any other team in history? And what are the ramifications of the sale for the rest of the NFL—and for teams and fans across all of professional sports? Examine the
