Media entrepreneur Byron Allen is preparing a bid for the Washington Commanders in what would be his second attempt this year to acquire a National Football League franchise, according to Bloomberg citing people familiar with the matter.
Allen is working with an investor group, according to people familiar with his ambitions who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. In February, Allen said he was preparing a bid for the Denver Broncos following an approach by both NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft about ownership.
The Broncos later went to a group led by Robert Walton in a $4.65 billion sale, clearing the field of potential rivals in a flex of the Walton family’s Walmart Inc. fortune. With professional sports teams remaining highly coveted assets for the wealthy, the value of the clubs has climbed and kept sales competitive.
If Allen succeeds buying the Commanders, he would be the first Black majority owner of an NFL team, potentially easing some of the reputational hits taken by the league during years-long controversies around race and social justice. In February, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the league and three teams, alleging racial discrimination in its hiring practices. The NFL denied those allegations, calling them “without merit.”
As a television station owner, Allen has waged high-profile battles vying for economic inclusion against some of the biggest advertisers in the world, including McDonald’s Corp. and General Motors Co., alleging discrimination against Black-owned media outlets. He took his battles against Comcast Corp. all the way to the US Supreme Court in Washington.
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