When buyout mogul Josh Harris announced his $6.05 billion purchase of the Washington Commanders last week, he failed to credit a key advisor on the deal who is also linked to another fellow NFL team owner, sources told The Post.
Andalusian Private Capital and Advisory, which worked with Harris on the purchase, counts among its founding investors David Tepper – the outspoken hedge-fund billionaire who also is owner of the Carolina Panthers, sources said.
Jeffrey Kaplan founded Andalusian in 2021 after serving as chief operating officer at Tepper’s fund Appaloosa Management. He also helped Tepper in 2018 acquire the Panthers for $2.3 billion.
Andalusian, however, was not a co-investor in the Commanders deal. Accordingly, Tepper hasn’t acquired stakes in two competing teams which would have broken NFL rules, a source said. Tepper also reportedly only has a passive stake in Andalusian.
Andalusian – whose mission, according to a 2021 New York Times profile, is to invest in growth companies, special situations, and the media and sports sectors – got a fee in the deal that’s well deserved.
Jeff Bezos had been seen as the favorite to buy the Commanders when the auction started more than six months ago. Several potential rival suitors did not pursue the Commanders feeling it was pointless, sources close to the situation said.
But working with Andalusian, Harris kept at it and – with Commanders owner Dan Snyder eventually deciding not to invite Bezos into the process – eventually scored.
Andalusian and Harris did not return calls.
The company is currently advising the Los Angeles Chargers in the sale of a minority stake in the team.
[Written in collaboration with other media outlets with information from the following sources]
