The sweepstakes for the Washington Commanders new owner continues to be an ongoing swirl of rumors playing out through the offseason. Several names have been linked to ownership bids including Magic Johnson.
Many of these ownership rumors are not publicly confirmed but during an appearance on the TODAY show, Johnson let it be known he is pursuing the Commanders.
“Yes, our bid is in,” said Johnson. “We hope that we win. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Johnson’s bid includes a partnership with Philadelphia 76ers team owner Josh Harris and billionaire Mitchell Rales. Their bid matches Commanders current owner Dan Snyder’s $6 billion ask.
He also noted that a NFL team is the missing link in the chain of sports teams he already owns. Johnson currently has a stake in the L.A. Dodgers (MLB), L.A. Sparks (WNBA), and the Los Angeles Football Club (MLS). During his ownership of these teams, they all won championships: 2016 WNBA Championship, 2020 World Series, and 2022 MLS Cup.
“I got a ring in every sport but I need a Super Bowl ring. I would love to be the owner of the Commanders, to not only do great work on the field but do the work we can do with the city.”
With the hiring of Eric Bieniemy as the Commanders assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, the team is making moves to increase their chances of success. They already have plenty of young talent in Chase Young, Antonio Gibson, and Jahan Dotson to name a few. All they need to do is put the pieces together. The right selection of a new owner will be one of those key pieces.
Magic Johnson is no stranger to success. During his sports career, he has won ten NBA championships, five as a player and later as minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers.