Washington Nationals sale rumored, as Lerners evaluate future of team

The Lerner family is discussing the future of the Washington Nationals with investment bankers from Allen & Company. Ted Lerner is 96 and there's a lot of estate planning to be done. The team is $500 million in debt and is not well-positioned to take advantage of baseball's future trends.

Ted Lerner's son Mark is the managing principal owner of the Washington Nationals. The family hired Allen & Company to research potential investors and buyers for the team. The team is committed to its employees, players, fans, sponsors and partners.

Washington Nationals are being sold. The final price for the team could exceed $2 billion. Several potential buyers are mentioned. They include Ted Leonsis, David Rubenstein, Jeff Bezos and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. They were a losing bidder for New York Mets. Steve Cohen purchased the Mets for $ 2.4 billion and is now leading the sale process. He is also the owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL”s New Jersey Devils.

Ted Leonsis owns the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics. His partners include Laurene Powell Jobs and David Rubenstein. Rubstein is one of the founders of Carlyle Group and a major player in the D.C. scene. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL”s New Jersey Devils. Josh Harris is a co-founder of Apollo Global Management and is an executive with Blackstone Group. They were a losing bidder for the New York Mets, which Steve Cohen purchased for $2.4 billion. Jeff Bezos is rumored to be interested in purchasing a sports property.