NFL owners won’t vote on Commanders in May

John Keim, ESPN Staff WriterMay 18, 2023, 01:03 PM ET
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- Covered the Redskins for the Washington Examiner and other media outlets since 1994
- Authored or co-authored three books on the Redskins and one on the Cleveland Browns

NFL owners will not vote on the Washington Commanders sale during their meetings next week in Minnesota, a league official said Thursday.

Dan and Tanya Snyder reached a purchase and sale agreement for the Commanders with a group led by Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils co-owner Josh Harris on Friday. The Snyders, who first announced their intention to sell in November, agreed to sell the team for $6.05 billion.

While a vote this month was considered unlikely, Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, said there would be no vote when owners convene in Minneapolis on Sunday and Monday.

“The league staff and finance committee will continue to review the details of the transaction,” Miller said during a conference call previewing the meetings. “We will provide membership with an update in Minnesota.”

A signed document was submitted to the NFL, and the league’s finance committee must review the documents and vet the investors. The Harris group includes at least 12 limited partners, according to a release announcing last week’s agreement, all of whom must be vetted, adding to how long it could take.

While some owners and league sources have expressed concern over the structure of Harris’ bid, a source close to him said the NFL has not relayed any concerns to the group. The source said Harris’ group has a net worth of approximately $100 billion.

The sale would be the largest in sports history. On June 7 last year, the Walton family reached an agreement to buy the Denver Broncos for a reported $4.65 billion. The finance committee recommended approval on July 27, and the other owners voted in favor Aug. 9.

“Any transaction like this deserves due process, and we will do it as expeditiously as we can,” Miller said. “[We have] plenty of people working on it, and doing so is a priority.”

Miller also said nothing has changed regarding the Mary Jo White investigation into Dan Snyder. Miller reiterated that the NFL would release the findings once she is done with her investigation, which began in February 2022 after a new accusation of sexual harassment levied against Snyder by former team employee Tiffani Johnston.

It’s possible White is looking into other previous allegations as well. The Commanders were fined $10 million in July 2021 as a result of the league’s investigation into the workplace culture created during Snyder’s tenure. Congress later investigated the team’s workplace culture as well.