COMMANDERS SOLD FOR RECORD $6.05B
A group led by Josh Harris that includes Magic Johnson has agreed to buy the NFL’s Washington Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder and his family.
The sides announced the deal in a joint statement Friday, roughly a month after they reached an agreement in principle on the sale for a record $6.05 billion.
The deal is the largest for a North American professional sports franchise, surpassing the $4.55 billion Walmart heir Robert Walton paid for the Denver Broncos last year. It is still pending approval of three-quarters of owners and other customary closing conditions.
An NFL spokesman said league staff and its finance committee will review details of the proposed transaction.
Snyder has owned the team since 1999, when he bought his favorite boyhood team for $750 million. Multiple investigations by the league and Congress into Washington’s workplace misconduct and potential financial improprieties found Snyder played a role in a toxic culture.
Harris’ group includes Washington-area billionaire Mitchell Rales, the basketball Hall of Famer Johnson and David Blitzer, among others. Harris and Blitzer have owned the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers since 2011 and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils since 2013.
Harris grew up in the Washington suburb of Chevy Chase, Md.
More NFL
The Browns agreed to acquire three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith from the Vikings for draft picks.
The 30-year-old Smith had 10 sacks last season.
The Falcons announced on the opening day of the team’s three-day rookie minicamp that Bijan Robinson signed a $21.96 million, fouryear contract with a fifth-year option.
Soccer
With a massive 82 percent of the votes, Erling Haaland was named England’s footballer of the year in recognition of his record-breaking first season at Manchester City. Haaland’s remarkable debut English season has already seen him set a new league scoring record of 35 in a single campaign.
Hockey
The United States overcame defending champion Finland 4-1 to open the ice hockey world championship. Alex Tuch scored two goals and Drew O’Çonnor had a goal and two assists to lead the U.S. Cutter Ganthier also scored and goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped 23 shots.
Local colleges
In baseball, San Diego State opened its weekend series at Air Force by dropping a 4-2 decision at Falcon Field. With the loss, the Aztecs (20-25, 14-10 MW) slip into second place in the conference standings, one-half game behind the Falcons (24-26, 15-10 MW) . ... In the opener of a West Coast Conference series, San Diego’s James Arakawa went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs and
Angelo Peraza scored in the seventh inning after a triple for the Toreros (23-23-1, 16-9 WCC) in a 4-3 win over host Saint Mary’s (20-23, 13-12) . ...
Michael Fuhrman came a single short of the cycle in a 7-4 Big West victory for UC San Diego (28-18, 16-9) over Cal State Fullerton (28-17, 17-5).
In softball, host San Diego State defeated San Jose State 7-0 to reach today’s final of the Mountain West softball tournament, as Allie Light, Sarah Lehman and Dee Dee Hernandez combined on the shutout. The Aztecs (34-15) must win one of two games today against the Spartans (25-27), either at noon or 2:30, to gain the conference’s automatic NCAA berth. The Aztecs have never won the MW Tournament . ... Emma Glaime hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning in a 2-0 WCC softball victory for San Diego (22-28-1, 7-6 WCC) over Loyola Marymount (26-19, 11-2 WCC) . ... Clarisa Reynoso’s three-run double in the sixth inning proved to be the difference as UC San Diego (19-31, 9-16 Big West) beat Cal Poly (17-23, 10-15).