It appears that Daniel Snyder is getting close to selling the Washington Commanders. Mitchell Rales, a Washington D.C. billionaire and the founder of the Danaher Company, is partnering with Josh Harris in their attempt to purchase the club, according to ESPN.
Rales, 67, is a Pittsburgh native and Miami (Ohio) alum who co-founded his company in 1983. He has an estimated net worth of $7 billion. Rales' partnership with Harris only strengthens Harris' position as the front-runner to purchase the franchise. Harris is already the principle oner of the NHL's New Jersey Devils and NBA's Philadelphia 76ers. He is also the general partner of Crystal Palace of the English Premier League.
Rales' partnership with Harris is not good news for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who recently hired an investment firm to evaluate a potential bid on the franchise.
Snyder reportedly wants to sell the team for $7 billion. Washington is 164-220-2 during Snyder's ownership, which started in 1999. The franchise has won two playoff games and has made the playoffs six times over that span.
Snyder's future regarding his ownership of the team has been in question since the league fined Snyder's franchise $10 million at the conclusion of their workplace misconduct investigation. The investigation was launched after The Post report that included 15 former employees claiming that they were sexually harassed during their time with the franchise.
A second report published in The Post cited interviews with more than 100 employees who claimed Snyder "has presided over an organization in which women say they have been marginalized, discriminated against and exploited."
Snyder has reportedly been on the outs with other league owners over the past several years. Last fall, Colts owner Jim Irsay said that "there is merit" to removing Snyder as owner of the Commanders.
