The Washington Commanders and the team’s embattled owner — likely soon to be ex-owner Daniel Snyder — are not formally on the agenda for next week’s four-day annual NFL owners meeting, a person who has received the agenda told The Athletic. Here’s what you need to know:
Despite a flood of news and speculation surrounding the Commanders, right now a vote or owner briefing is not scheduled for the March 26-29 meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Prospective owners have been touring the Commanders’ facilities, and a sales agreement is expected to be reached soon.
A deal being ready for owners to bless by the annual meeting next week has always been an aggressive timeline; the May meeting in Minneapolis is a more reasonable schedule.
What does this mean for a sale?
That does not mean owners may not discuss the state of the Commanders’ sale process and the many investigations surrounding the club and Snyder. Typically at owners meetings, they set aside time to talk among themselves, with league staff and team executives out of the room. Any topic can arise in these settings, which is called a privileged session, or a “one per club.” An item can certainly still be added to the agenda, though the meetings by this point, just a few days away, have largely been scripted. The NFL did not respond to a request for comment.
Potential Commanders buyers
There are three known bidders for the team: Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris, whose group includes local billionaire Mitchell Rales and Magic Johnson; casino and restaurant magnate Tilman Fertitta and reportedly Canadian fund investor Steve Apostolpoulos.