If you only know Josh Harris as the guy who finally got Dan Snyder to sell the Washington Commanders, you’re basically missing three-quarters of the picture. Honestly, the dude is kind of a machine. It's January 2026, and while most billionaire owners would be content just sitting in a luxury suite watching their team, Harris is currently juggling a massive $30 billion investment pivot with 26North while simultaneously trying to rebuild the entire identity of D.C. sports.
He’s busy. Really busy.
Most people think he’s just a "sports guy" now. Wrong. He’s actually deep in the weeds of private equity, and if you look at what he’s doing with 26North, he’s basically trying to recreate the magic of Apollo Global Management but without the corporate baggage.
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What is Josh Harris doing now with the Washington Commanders?
Right now, the big news—the stuff that actually matters to people in the DMV area—is the stadium. On January 15, 2026, Harris dropped the first renderings of a brand-new stadium designed to replace the aging Northwest Stadium. He’s promising it’ll be the loudest in the NFL.
It’s personal for him. He grew up going to RFK. He remembers the shaking stands. He’s not just looking for a place to play football; he’s trying to build a "neighborhood" around the stadium that brings in jobs and cash. It's a massive $6 billion-plus bet that he can turn one of the league's most frustrated fanbases back into a powerhouse.
The 2026 Rebrand and the "Spear"
There’s a lot of chatter about the uniforms too. Since he took over, people have been begging for a return to the "old" vibes. 2026 is the year the "hard target" for the full rebrand unveiling is supposed to hit. We might see the return of that classic spear logo or at least something that doesn't feel like a generic create-a-team from a video game.
The $30 Billion Play: 26North
While the NFL is the flashy part of his life, his day job is running 26North. He founded this in 2022 after leaving Apollo. By the start of 2026, the firm is pushing toward $30 billion in assets under management (AUM). That is a wild growth curve for a company that’s barely three years old.
He’s the CEO. He chairs the investment committee. But he’s also trying to "manage himself out of a job" by hiring heavy hitters from places like Goldman Sachs and Blackstone.
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His strategy?
- Direct Lending: Getting cash to businesses that banks won't touch.
- Private Equity: Buying into companies and fixing them (his old bread and butter).
- Insurance Solutions: Using insurance capital to fuel investments.
Basically, he's taking the "big firm" capabilities he learned at Apollo and applying them to the middle market. It’s working. Just this month, his firm led a massive $1 billion capital raise for Bruin Capital, targeting the companies that basically run the "operating system" of global sports.
The HBSE Portfolio: More Than Just the Commanders
You can't talk about what Josh Harris is doing now without mentioning Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE). This is the mothership. It’s valued at nearly $15 billion these days.
He’s still the Managing Partner of the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils. If you're a Sixers fan, you know he's currently pushing for 76 Place at Market East, a $1.3 billion arena in Center City. It's controversial, it's expensive, and it's exactly the kind of high-stakes project Harris thrives on.
The WNBA Expansion
In a move that surprised some but made total sense for his "portfolio" approach, Harris was awarded a Philadelphia WNBA team in mid-2025. They aren't set to play until 2030, but the groundwork—the staffing, the marketing, the facility planning—is all happening right now in early 2026.
The "Unrivaled" Youth Sports Bet
Here’s a detail most casual observers miss: Unrivaled Sports.
Harris and his partner David Blitzer are obsessed with youth sports. They’ve been buying up everything from Ripken Baseball to action sports brands in partnership with Shaun White.
They’re hosting over 550,000 athletes a year at their facilities. Why? Because Harris sees sports as a "community builder." Or, if you want the cynical business view, he’s capturing the "fan journey" from the time a kid picks up a T-ball bat until they’re buying season tickets for the Commanders.
Why This Matters for You
If you're an investor, a sports fan, or just someone following the money, Harris is a bellwether. He’s moving away from the "ruthless" reputation of his early Apollo days toward a "servant leader" vibe—at least that's the PR.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the Stadium News: The Commanders stadium site selection is going to be the biggest real estate story in D.C. for the next decade. If you own property nearby, pay attention.
- Monitor 26North: If you're in the finance world, 26North is the one to watch for "alpha" in the middle market. They are hiring and they are hungry.
- Check the Sixers Arena Vote: The Philadelphia Center City arena project is at a tipping point. The outcome will tell you everything about Harris's political capital in the city of brotherly love.
He isn't slowing down. He’s just getting started with his "second act" at age 61. Whether it's a new stadium in D.C. or a new credit fund in Manhattan, Harris is basically the architect of a new kind of sports-business empire.