Basketball legend and new part-owner of the Washington Commanders franchise, Ervin “Magic” Johnson, recently hinted at the possibility of changing the team’s name again. During an interview with “The Today Show’s” Craig Melvin, Johnson stated, “‘Craig, everything’s on the table, right? Especially after this year. We will see where we are with the name, but I can’t say that right now.'”
This comes after NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Washington Commanders from embattled owner Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris and Johnson for a record $6.05 billion. This ownership change signals a new era for the franchise, as it looks to distance itself from previous controversies.
Under Snyder’s leadership, the Washington franchise faced allegations of a toxic workplace culture, particularly for female employees. Additionally, there was an investigation into a ticketing scam and assertions that the team’s previous nickname had a racially insensitive meaning.
Johnson emphasized that he and Harris are committed to creating a work environment that is vastly different from the one under Snyder. “We know how valuable the employees are because they make it run every single day. And so we’re going to hire the best people,” Johnson stated. He also emphasized the importance of respect and creating a safe place to work for all employees.
As the new owners take charge, they aim to listen, observe, and learn from current staff members, while also ensuring that they bring in top talent to support the team’s operations.
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A Historic Sale: Washington Commanders Under New Ownership
Former NBA star and iconic figure Magic Johnson expressed his immense pride as a Black American professional sports owner. With the impending sale of the Charlotte Hornets, there will soon be no Black majority owners in any of the top four American sports. Johnson, a minority owner of the Washington Commanders, emphasized his commitment to ensuring African Americans are represented in these positions of power.
The sale of the Commanders is making waves in the sports world, with its staggering price tag breaking records for a North American professional sports team. The purchase surpassed the 2022 sale of the NFL’s Denver Broncos to Rob Walton of Walmart Inc., who acquired the team for $4.6 billion.
To put this landmark sale into perspective, let’s look at the five most expensive sports franchise sales in U.S. history, prior to the Commanders:
- Denver Broncos – Acquired by the Walton-Penner group for a staggering $4.6 billion in 2022.
- Phoenix Suns – Sold to Mat Ishbia for an impressive $4 billion in 2022.
- New York Mets – Purchased by Steve Cohen for a notable $2.4 billion in 2020.
- Brooklyn Nets – Alibaba’s Joe Tsai acquired the team for a substantial $2.35 billion in 2019.
- Carolina Panthers – David Tepper obtained the team for a significant sum of $2.275 billion in 2018.
As new owners, Harris and Johnson have their work cut out for them. The Commanders have struggled both on and off the field, with just one playoff victory over the past 22 years and consistently low fan attendance in 2022.
In a separate development, Dan Snyder, the previous owner, has agreed to sell the NFL’s Washington Commanders to Josh Harris, the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers. The team’s rebranding efforts are expected to create a boost in merchandise and ticket sales, offering a fresh start for the franchise.