NFL owners gathered in Florida earlier this week for a variety of committee meetings. And Commanders owner Dan Snyder definitely was a hot topic.
At issue is whether Snyder will follow through and sell the Washington team. The owners want him to do so, but it’s unclear if they’ll force the issue.
The Washington Post reported that Snyder’s wife, Tanya Snyder, represented the Commanders at the committee meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. She’s the co-CEO with her husband and handles the teams day-to-day operations. The full owners meeting starts March 26 in Phoenix.
Specifically, the finance committee discussed the potential sale. Three names have emerged as potential buyers. The Post reported that Dan Snyder hasn’t looped the committee in with any bidding details.
The bidders include Josh Harris, who owns the 76ers in the NBA and the Devils in the NHL. Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta also placed a bid for the Commanders. Fertitta was a surprise name. But he’s active in sports, owning the NBA’s Houston Rockets. He’s also a big benefactor for the University of Houston’s athletic department.
Then there’s Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post. Reports suggest that Dan Snyder believes Bezos influenced the Post into writing a series of stories detailing a toxic working environment within the Commanders. Snyder, so far, has blocked Bezos from bidding. But Bezos, who is one of the richest people in the world, may be the only person who can afford a price tag north of $6 billion.
The Post said it’s unclear whether Snyder eventually will allow Bezos to enter the process. There is speculation that Snyder will take the team off the market, claiming no one offered the right price.
Not all NFL owners attended these committee meetings, which finished Tuesday. There was no decision on whether the owners should take a vote to remove Snyder if he didn’t agree to sell the Commanders.
The Post said that there are owners who are optimistic that Snyder will finalize a sale without being forced into it by a vote. Others weren’t as convinced. They want more information for the formal meeting in late March.
One source told the Post that owners still are bothered by Snyder’s demand to be indemnified against future legal liability. A future team owner could offer that guarantee and satisfy Snyder’s request. But the demand possibly could hold up the sale through the summer and into the 2023 season.
It would take 75 percent, or 24, of the league owners voting yes to kick Snyder out of the NFL. The Post said there will be no such vote at the full owners meeting in Phoenix.