Mitchell Rales, a Maryland-based billionaire who co-founded the Danaher Corporation, has joined Josh Harris’ bid to buy the Washington Commanders, according to multiple reports.
The addition could strengthen Harris’ hand in the bidding process. Harris, the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, has reportedly toured the Commanders’ facility and one report named him the frontrunner to buy the team.
Other prospective buyers include Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, though reports suggest that Bezos has been “barred” from submitting a bid by the investment bank hired by Snyder due to the Washington Post’s expose into the Commanders’ workplace misconduct. Bezos owns the Washington Post.
Rales, 67, grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and has a net worth of $5.6 billion, according to Forbes. In 1983, Rales and his brother Steven formed the science firm Danaher after acquiring a real estate investment trust. He has donated more than $1 billion to charitable organizations and helped found Glenstone, a private art museum in Potomac.
Rales has also a history in sports as he founded the District’s first all-sports radio station in WTEM.
The Commanders have been on the market since at least November, when the team announced that owner Dan Snyder hired an investment bank to explore a potential sale of the team.
ESPN first reported Rales joining Harris’ group.