Bowser on Commanders sale: ‘Let’s Win’
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser cheered on the news of the Washington Commanders’ sale with a celebratory tweet on Thursday, saying “let’s win!” and sharing a Sports Illustrated cover of the 1988 Super Bowl-winning quarterback Doug Williams.
Embattled Commanders owner Dan Snyder has agreed to sell the team to a group led by Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales for a record price of nearly $6 billion, making the Commanders sale the largest in sports history.
Snyder is largely unpopular in the DMV, where the team has gone 164-220-2 under his ownership with six playoff appearances in 24 seasons and only two playoff victories.
Let’s win! pic.twitter.com/IWnlm0Xx1e
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) April 13, 2023
The sale has raised hopes among D.C. natives that the team may return to the site of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in the eastern part of the District, where the team played until the current Landover, Md., FedExField was built in 1997.
Bowser has repeatedly called for the team to move back to the District.
“There’s only one location — and when I say that, I’m talking about D.C., Maryland, and Virginia — and that’s at RFK,” she said last year.
Snyder was fined by the NFL last year for fostering an “unprofessional workplace,” and is being investigated again after sexual harassment allegations surfaced from a former team cheerleader.
The controversies have even put Snyder under the ire of the House Oversight committee after racist and misogynist emails between team president Bruce Allen and former coach Jon Gruden were leaked.
Snyder has been considering a sale since at least November and was courted by Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos to buy the team. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, television mogul Byron Allen, and Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos also reportedly expressed interest.
Harris already owns a controlling stake in the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and the New Jersey Devils hockey team. Lakers legend Magic Johnson is reportedly a minority stakeholder in the deal.
The deal must still be approved by the NFL and its owners in order to go forward.