The Lerner family could offer the Washington Nationals franchise for sale.
The Washington Nationals could be up for sale with Lerner Family exploring all options.
It was only a few years before Washington won its first World Championship in franchise history. However, Lerners are at least testing the waters that could potentially destabilize the franchise ownership structure, which could include direct sales to the team.
“This is an exploratory process, so there is no set timetable or definitive expectation of outcome,” CEO Mark Lerner said in a statement to The Washington Post. “The organization is more committed than ever to its employees, players, fans, sponsors and partners, and to delivering a competitive product in the field.”
There are several reasons why a franchise is up for sale, but it will be an ongoing process.
MLB Rumors: The Lerner Family Could Sell The Washington Nationals
Lerners bought the franchise from Major League Baseball in 2005 and moved it from Montreal to the nation’s capital. It took some time, but a lengthy rebuilding process culminated in Washington reaching and winning her first world championship in 2019. However, the global pandemic negatively affected the real estate market, with patriarch Ted Lerner making his money.
The other big factor is that Washington is essentially the second tenant with local RSN, the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, to the more established Baltimore Orioles. These two things had a major impact on Washington’s revenue. Not only was the finances affected, but the product in the field was also damaged. This is why Mark Lerner has been going back on his word since 2018.
“We will never sell the nationals,” Lerner told the Washington Post four years ago. “This is what we have worked to achieve all those years. We think we are doing very well. There is no intention for this family – certainly while I and my sisters and brothers are alive – that no one will sell this team.”
If the Washingtons are to go to market, the Nationals will be the latest MLB team to be sold after the New York Mets to Steve Cohen in 2020. If this is the course of action the Lerners want to take, the Nationals could be the next to sell the professional sports franchise in North America, assuming they go to market after the Denver Broncos are finally sold out.
This might just be an exploratory process, but natives could become available at some point.
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