What are some immediate pressing priorities for the new Washington Commanders’ ownership group led by Josh Harris once the sale is confirmed?
After months of speculation, the Washington Commanders could be days away from falling into different hands. Dan Snyder has agreed in principle to sell the team at long last, with the ownership group led by Josh Harris winning the race right now thanks to a fully financed $6.05 billion offer.
While this isn’t exclusive, it’s the clearest sign yet that this is the direction Washington’s new era will go. The news sparked jubilant scenes among the fanbase and across the media, which formally puts an end to Snyder’s disastrous reign spanning more than two decades.
Considering how things went under Snyder – who managed just two playoff wins in 23 years – Harris and others within the group including Magic Johnson and Mitchell Rales have a significant amount of work on their hands. And it could take some time before the Commanders officially become a true NFL powerhouse once again.
With this in mind, here are four pressing priorities for Washington’s new owners once the sale is approved by the league.
Pressing Priority No. 1
Form a concise vision for Commanders
After years of watching the Washington Commanders fall off the league’s top table and descend into a laughing stock, Josh Harris and his team must form and announce a clear, concise long-term vision for the franchise. Something that can see this once-proud organization return to prominence.
Fans are clearly excited about this new era with a group that has experience running successful sports franchises. But after so much failure and false promises under Dan Snyder, it’s important for Harris to leave a strong impression right out of the gate.
New Commanders stadium
Another big area where the new ownership group will need to focus their attention centers on FedEx Field. It’s well documented how much the stadium is decaying to a level not fit for purpose, so exploring possibilities for a new state-of-the-art facility represents the only realistic avenue for the Washington Commanders to pursue.
This is something that’s already got a little bit of groundwork attached. Team president Jason Wright has reportedly been looking at the legislation for new sites in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, with the old RFK Stadium area coming with intriguing nostalgia among fans.
According to Ben Standig of The Athletic citing a source with knowledge of the discussions, one group bidding for the Commanders was not enthused about a return to RFK. If that was Josh Harris, then the stadium exploration might start from scratch when it’s all said and done.
"“According to a person with knowledge of the discussions, at least one group that bid on the franchise was not enthused about the RFK site because the District would control the project, and land limitations would likely shrink the mini-city plans. It is not known whether that group was the one led by Harris.”"
Building a new stadium in the modern-day NFL isn’t cheap. Therefore, much will depend on how much cash Harris and his consortium can free up and the level of contributions from public funds is also going to factor heavily into the process.
Ron Rivera’s long-term Commanders’ future
With the Washington Commanders sale set to be confirmed in the near future, Ron Rivera‘s head coaching seat becomes the hottest in football. This is something the respected figure has dealt with previously on the Carolina Panthers, which ended with David Tepper going in a different direction before the 2019 campaign concluded.
This is weirdly an experience Rivera can use to his advantage. He recently spoke about not selling his project enough to Tepper during their initial discussions, so he’ll be keen to leave a bigger impression on the ownership group led by Josh Harris once something becomes official.
Harris and his consortium will have their own ideas on how to take the franchise forward. When speaking to the Washington Post recently, Rivera conceded that if their ideas didn’t match his own, the outcome won’t exactly go in his favor.
"“I could be gone in a year. That’s football. I understand that. But what I want to do, is when I leave, I want everybody to go and say, ‘Boy the roster’s in a good place.’ … That’s great. I want to walk away saying that’s what I did. I’m good with it. I understand it. I’m not going to be desperate. I’m not. Because when you’re desperate, you make bad decisions.”"
Rivera’s done a good job of changing the culture without Dan Snyder overseeing personnel. It’s been a mixed bag from a results standpoint on the field, but there is a solid young nucleus to build around in pursuit of becoming a potential challenger down the line.
What the new ownership group must determine is whether or not Rivera is capable of taking the Commanders to the promised land.
Win back Commanders fans
Dan Snyder’s reign of terror left fans with no option other than to vote with their feet. Attendances dwindled, interest across the region diminished significantly surrounding the Washington Commanders, and some sections of the fanbase even began following others teams to wash their hands of the franchise entirely.
When the news broke about Snyder agreeing to sell the Commanders to Josh Harris’ group non-exclusively, the injection of positivity across social media was notable. This remains one of the most storied NFL franchises in a big market, so getting the fans back onside is arguably the biggest priority of all for the new regime.
Making the Commanders a valuable community asset again is a good place to start. There was a time when it was the very heartbeat of the region, which was lost during Snyder’s turbulent tenure that brought plenty of controversies and little in the way of postseason accomplishments.
Improving the football product also helps. But re-engaging with fans, becoming accountable, and acting with conviction regarding important matters on and off the field is all it might take for them to return.
Harris and Magic Johnson have been around accomplished sports franchises before. They can see the untapped potential in Washington and will strive with everything they have to make this a success.
Hopefully, this is the start of great things to come.