LANDOVER, Md. – Few people can command a crowd with more captivation and excitement than Earvin “Magic” Johnson. So, the newest, most popular minority-stake owner in the NFL did just that Friday as he was introduced as part of Josh Harris’ ownership group that officially purchased the Washington Commanders from Dan Snyder for a record $6.05 billion this week.
“I got to get you louder,” Johnson politely heckled fans from a stage, as supporters clad in burgundy and gold chanted “Magic! Magic!” “Are you ready to do this?”
Once Johnson whipped the crowd into a frenzy, he said it would take everybody – from the ownership group to the players to the coaching staff to the community – to turn around the franchise’s fortunes.
“We could all come together, support each other, love each other and be down for one common goal,” Johnson said, “and that’s to win.”
The last part sounded a lot like Johnson during a news conference minutes earlier.
When Harris and Johnson first spoke about forming what would become the winning bid approved unanimously by NFL owners Thursday, the first thing the NBA Hall of Famer and accomplished businessman asked Harris was whether he wanted to win.
Harris responded that was indeed the case.
“I said, ‘I’m in,’” Johnson said. “Because I don’t invest in sports teams for ego. I invest to win.”
‘THANK YOU JOSH’:New Commanders owner cheered as he sets out vision
The Commanders are the fourth professional sports organization in which Johnson, a five-time NBA champion, has purchased a minority stake. The three others are based in Los Angeles: MLB’s Dodgers, LAFC of the MLS and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. It’s unknown how much of the Commanders Johnson purchased as well as the amount of his initial investment.
Johnson called it a proud day for all Black Americans, who have been typically left out of ownership groups in the NFL, despite recent strides with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton joining the ownership group that bought the Denver Broncos last year. At one point, “Magic” directed the assembled crowd to give Harris a standing ovation for consciously including him.
“He could have chose anybody else that didn’t look like me,” Johnson said.
What will Magic Johnson’s role with Commanders be?
Johnson did not take questions Friday. But aside from breaking out his dance moves, he offered a glimpse into his role with the team. First, in a nod to the team’s history of employee harassment and fan subordination under Snyder, he said that a complete overhaul of “everything that has happened to this franchise” was necessary.
He also wants the community to be part of what the ownership group intends to build.
“That’s going to be a part of my role, is to get out into the community and help them understand what we’re doing, how we’re doing it,” Johnson said.
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Giving back and making an impact on the community the team does business in is also important, Johnson said. He also wants to eliminate any “headaches” for the players and coaches to make their jobs easier.
“It’s about excellence, best in class, doing everything the right way, and then over-delivering to our fan base,” Johnson said. “We’re going to do just that.”
Magic’s Washington NFL destiny
Johnson has touted his longstanding business relationships in the nation’s capital and also referenced a piece of personal history that has long intertwined him with the Washington NFL franchise.
Retelling a scene straight out of the premiere of “Winning Time,” Johnson mentioned how former Washington owner Jack Kent Cooke – whose death opened the door for Snyder’s purchase more than two decades ago – had to do Johnson’s rookie contract before selling the Los Angeles Lakers so that he could purchase the then-Redskins.
“Isn’t that something?” Johnson said. “So, I’m supposed to be here and be part of this incredible franchise.”
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.
