Though he isn’t believed to be a frontrunner, Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is reportedly involved in the bidding for the NFL’s Commanders, according to the Washington Post.
Approximately one year ago, Fertitta was also said to have considered an ownership bid for soccer powerhouse Chelsea Football Club, though he did not advance to the final stages.
As for the latest story, the Washington Post reports:
According to one person with knowledge of the deliberations, Fertitta submitted a bid for the Commanders but is not believed to be a front-runner to purchase the franchise from Daniel Snyder. That person described the sale proceedings as being “at a little bit of a standstill” and estimated Fertitta’s bid was for slightly above $5.5 billion.
Another person familiar with the matter said Fertitta is interested in the Commanders and is believed to have visited the team’s training facility in Ashburn.
NEW: Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets and Landry's hospitality and entertainment, is involved in the bidding for the Commanders, from @NickiJhabvala and me…. https://t.co/MZAWPdwGYD
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) February 26, 2023
The Commanders announced in November that Snyder and his wife, Tanya, the franchise’s co-CEO, had hired Bank of America to consider possible transactions involving the franchise. The team has not said whether the Snyders will sell all or part of the franchise.
Fertitta and his representatives did not respond to requests for comments on Saturday night, according to the Washington Post.
In addition to owning the Rockets, Fertitta is chairman and CEO of the Landry’s Inc. hospitality group, and he is also chairman of the board of regents for the University of Houston system.
Fertitta has owned the Rockets since his $2.2-billion purchase of the franchise was approved in October 2017.
