The process of a possible sale of the Washington Commanders will reportedly “be over soon.”

Dan Snyder and his wife Tanya Snyder announced plans to explore a potential sale in November. Sources told Front Office Sports that Snyder is still weighing both a full and partial sale of the franchise.

Should Snyder sell, an announcement could come as soon as March, according to NBC Sports Washington, possibly ahead of the league’s annual meeting at the end of that same month. The NFL’s new year begins March 15.

As a potential deal nears, talk about who might buy the team is swirling.

• Amazon founder Jeff Bezos didn’t submit an official bid by the December deadline but isn’t completely out of the running. However, Dan and Tanya Snyder would reportedly rather not sell to Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post.
• Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers, and Sparks co-owner Todd Boehly — who led a consortium that won last year’s bid for Chelsea FC — has reportedly pulled out of the race.

Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who own the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils through Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, are among the half-dozen bidders vying for the Washington team, sources told Front Office Sports.

None of the December bids exceeded $6.3 billion, one source said.

Snyders’ Sale

The Snyders hired Bank of America after multiple investigations into the team for misconduct in the workplace and financial improprieties within the franchise. 

Snyder purchased the team for about $800 million in 1999 and, at 34, was the youngest owner in the league.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is already set for success with six months to spare.

More than 500,000 tickets have been sold to the ninth edition of the tournament, which begins July 20, 2023, in Australia and New Zealand — the first co-hosted women’s tournament.

• The final at Stadium Australia on Aug. 20 is the most “sought-after match.”
• Australia’s opener against Ireland will reportedly move from Allianz Stadium to Accor Stadium, allowing nearly 40,000 more people to attend.
• The competition marks the debuts of Morocco, Zambia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Republic of Ireland.

Ticket sales reportedly put the tournament on track to surpass 2019’s attendance record of 1.1 million in France.

Fans from more than 120 countries have purchased tickets, with the most coming from Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., England, and Qatar.

The 2023 edition will be the first with 32 teams — it previously only had 24 — with a record 64 matches played in 10 stadiums.

This year’s competition also has a new format. The first FIFA Women’s World Cup Playoff Tournament will be held in February and feature 10 countries competing for three spots.

Tournament Talks

Last month, FIFA announced new competitions for the women’s sport. 

Soccer’s global governing body revealed plans to introduce the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup and establish the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup. It also endorsed expanding the women’s tournament at the Olympics from 12 to 16.

Another major media company has invested in a sport with more than 2.5 billion fans. 

Viacom18 — a joint venture between Paramount Global and Mumbai-based Network18 — has reportedly secured a five-year, $116 million media rights deal with the new women’s Indian Premier League. The inaugural women’s Twenty20 tournament will begin play in March. 

“After pay equity, today’s bidding for media rights for women’s IPL marks another historic mandate,” tweeted BCCI secretary Jay Shah. “It’s a big and decisive step for empowerment of women’s cricket in India.”

• The deal has a per-game value of roughly $1 million.  
• It’s the second-largest deal for women’s sports rights behind the WNBA’s, per Ampere Analysis.
• Viacom18 outbid Disney Star, Sony, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises. 
• Its parent company Network18 is owned by Mumbai Indians owner Mukesh Ambani — the world’s richest sports team owner with a net worth of $88.8 billion, per Forbes.

In June 2022, Viacom18 landed a five-year, $2.6 billion deal for streaming rights to the men’s Indian Premier League. That same month, Disney Star reportedly acquired Indian TV rights for $3 billion over five years. The network previously paid $2.1 billion for eight years.

Global Frenzy  

Earlier this month, Cricket Australia extended its domestic media rights deal with pay-TV operator Foxtel and free-to-air TV broadcaster Seven Network for $1 billion.

The pact — which covers all home men’s and women’s international matches — runs from 2024 through the end of the 2030-31 season.