The New York Times recently tweeted about the soon-to-be new owner of the Washington D.C. Commanders, Josh Harris. According to the tweet, Harris is a 58-year-old with plenty of experience in professional sports. The information was sourced from an article on The Athletic.
Harris is a well-known figure in the world of sports ownership. He co-founded Apollo Global Management, one of the largest private equity firms in the world, and has been involved in several high-profile sports transactions over the years.
In 2011, he purchased majority ownership of both the Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils through his investment group Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE). Under his leadership, both teams have undergone significant changes and improvements.
However, not all of Harris’ ventures have been successful. In 2018, HBSE launched a professional esports team called Team Dignitas but ultimately sold it just two years later after failing to turn a profit.
Harris’ acquisition of the Commanders comes at an interesting time for the team and for football as a whole. The Commanders were previously known as the Washington Redskins until they changed their name due to controversy surrounding Native American imagery.
Additionally, football has faced criticism in recent years over player safety concerns and declining ratings. However, Harris seems undeterred by these challenges and is optimistic about his new venture.
“As I’ve said before – this organization will be built on integrity,” Harris said in a statement following news of his acquisition. “We owe it to our fans to put a product on that field that represents everything good about sports.”
It remains to be seen what changes or improvements Harris may bring to the Commanders organization or how he may address ongoing issues within football as a whole. Nonetheless, his track record suggests that he likely has some big plans for this latest addition to his portfolio.
Overall, while there are certainly questions surrounding Josh Harris’ purchase of the Washington D.C. Commanders, his experience in professional sports ownership and past successes with teams like the 76ers and Devils suggest that there could be reason for optimism amongst fans of the newly-named team.