Wizards Owner Ted Leonsis Could Buy Nationals, per Report

The current owner of the Wizards, Capitals and Mystics teams, Ted Leonsis, is reportedly becoming a lead name in the sale of the Nationals, according to The Washington Post.

Nothing is official yet as the current owners of the Nationals, the Lerner family, have only stated to wanting to explore the buyers market for the team. 

Leonsis owns Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and the company is on the list of potential buyers. The company was previously granted access to the Nationals’ financial data, which is considered to be a big part in putting a bid in for the team.

It just so happens that Mark Lerner, who is the Nationals’ managing principal owner and son of the Lerner family, is a minority partner for Leonsis’s company.

How much would Leonsis need to spend in order to acquire the Nationals? As of 2022, Forbes valued the team at about $2 billion. This means that Leonsis will most likely have minority owners in his purchase of the team if he ends up putting in a bid.

Leonsis isn’t the only person interested in purchasing the Nationals. According to the Post, at least five other bidders already met with the team’s officials. Two of those individuals include billionaire Michael B. Kim and mortgage mogul Stanley Middleman, who both met with the team personnel this summer.

It’s unknown if Leonsis has met with the Nationals regarding the possible sale. The Lerner family is expected to decide about the future of the team ownership by the end of the year. It is possible that the family will keep ownership of the Nationals.