An NBA legend is now part of a legendary NFL franchise.
Earvin "Magic" Johnson is one of the people in the ownership group that has taken over the Washington Commanders. The sale was made official on July 20.
TODAY's Craig Melvin spoke with Johnson Thursday for an interview that will air July 21, and he asked the Los Angeles Lakers great how he planned to move the team beyond the scandals it experienced under its previous owner, Daniel Snyder.
"You have to let the employees know that you respect them and it will be a safe place to work," Johnson told Melvin.
"We know how valuable the employees are because they make it run every single day. And so we’re going to hire the best people. We already got a lot of great people. So this year it’s about listening, watching and really learning."
The sale marks the beginning of a new era in Washington and the end of Snyder’s tumultuous run in charge. He had announced in November 2022 that he would explore selling the team, which followed a series of scandals involving allegations of a toxic workplace culture, fines and the announcement it had renamed the franchise the Commanders in early 2022.
Johnson has a minority stake in the team, with Josh Harris, who owns the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, leading the group that now owns the franchise. The sale had been in the works for a few months.
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"I could not be more excited to be a partner in the proposed new ownership group for the Washington Commanders," Johnson tweeted in May after the news that Harris' group had reached a deal to purchase the team.
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"Josh Harris has assembled an amazing group who share a commitment to not only doing great things on the field but to making a real impact in the DMV community. I’m so excited to get to work on executing our vision for the Commanders and our loyal fanbase!"
Johnson can add the Commanders to his portfolio. He has ownership stakes in Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. He also previously had a stake with the Lakers, but sold his interest in the team in 2010.
On the field, the Commanders have struggled. The franchise, which has won three Super Bowls in its history, has won only three postseason games since winning its last Super Bowl in 1992, with its last playoff victory taking place in January 2006.
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