WASHINGTON — Washington Commanders fans are turning a new page Friday, as day one of a post-Dan Snyder era of football kicks off. Maryland native Josh Harris and his ownership group will take control of the legendary franchise after NFL owners unanimously approved a $6.05 billion sale Thursday.
The team coordinated a fan pep rally to celebrate the start of the 2023 season, with players and coaches heading to training camp July 27. A line of people was stretched down the block outside FedEx Field by 10:30 a.m. with the rally starting at 1 p.m. Harris is expected to make an appearance at the fan rally alongside other key members in his ownership group, including retired NBA legend Magic Johnson. During his 13-year career, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships, including one in his rookie season in 1980. He was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996 and was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
"This is truly the biggest achievement in my business career and a historic moment for the entire Black community," Johnson tweeted Thursday minutes after the sale was finalized. "Talk about God’s perfect timing. This was the right organization for me to be a part of given it’s global appeal, history of winning, and the diverse fanbase and DMV community."
The 63-year-old became an entrepreneur after his basketball days ended. His investment firm was estimated to be worth approximately $1 billion as of 2020.
"I have a special relationship with the DMV," Johnson tweeted. "Many people don’t know I’ve done business in the Washington, DC area for many years. I was one of the owners of the Washington Hilton, I built multiple Starbucks franchises and Magic Johnson Theaters, and empowerment centers with the Magic Johnson Foundation. I also have my company SodexoMAGIC headquartered here. The DMV community has embraced and supported me, and I am honored and ecstatic to be a co-owner of the Commanders franchise!"
The owners will take the stage at 2 p.m. for their first full press conference in the DMV, and are expected to field questions about stadium locations and the possibility of a team name change.
Harris, who has his own DMV ties as a Maryland native and lifelong Washington fan, and Johnson will be joined by a third partner, Mitchell Rales.
Rales grew up in Bethesda, graduating from Walt Whitman High School. He went on to co-found the D.C.-based manufacturing company Danaher, with his brother, in 1984. Forbes Magazine says the Montgomery County native is worth $5.6 billion dollars. Rales is perhaps best known for Glenstone, a modern art gallery he and his wife, Emily Rales, own in Potomac. Glenstone is a 230-acre site with more than 1,300 works of art.