Update: Sale price of team in 2006 was corrected to $450 million.
The Washington Post has reported that the Lerner family has begun the process of exploring possible changes to the team’s ownership structure, including the possibility of selling the team. Current Chevy Chase resident Ted Lerner, 96, purchased the team from Major League Baseball in 2006 for $450,000,000.
In June 2008, Ted passed control of the team to his son Mark Lerner. Mark told The Washington Post that the family has “hired New York investment bank Allen & Company to research potential investors, and possibly buyers, for the Nationals.”
In 1952, a 26-year-old Ted Lerner borrowed $250 from his wife to start a real estate company, selling homes for developers. After selling 22,000, he decided to become a builder.
Today his Lerner Enterprises, headquartered at 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd in Rockville, is among the largest owners of real estate in the Washington, D.C area.
Ted Lerner was recently listed as being worth $4.4 Billion on Forbes annual ‘World’s Billionaire List’.
Full Washington Post article linked below:
The Lerner family will explore selling the Washington Nationals https://t.co/2udezgL7e1
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 11, 2022
On Sunday night, WWE wrestler Omos will face off against Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, TX. But, did you know that he attended high school in Rockville? The 7’3, 335 Nigerian-born Jordan Omogbehin moved to America with his family and attended school/played basketball at Montrose Christian for the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 school years. He went on to attend and play for the University of South Florida before moving back to Maryland and attending/playing for Morgan State University. His college basketball career spanned from 2012 to 2015.
Omogbehin signed with WWE in October 2018, and made his in-ring debut at last year’s WrestleMania 37 in Tampa, FL. Omos won’t have a shortage of people to talk MoCo with at WrestleMania. Shane McMahon, the son of WWE chairman and owner Vince McMahon, was born in Gaithersburg. The McMahons (Vince, his wife Linda, and Shane) even lived in Montgomery Village for about a decade, and the home they owned was recently sold.
Below you’ll see Omos’ opponent for this Sunday, former WWE champion Bobby Lashley, giving the MoCoShow a shoutout.
@themocoshow Bobby Lashley defeats Brock Lesnar for the WWE Heavyweight Championship at the 2022 Royal Rumble
Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Councilmembers Riemer and Albornoz introduce appropriation to expand recreational programs in sports like volleyball, lacrosse and softball, aiming to create more opportunities for girls
ROCKVILLE, Md., March 15, 2022—Today, Councilmember Hans Riemer and Council President Gabe Albornoz introduced a $100,000 special appropriation for theexpansion of sports leagues that are popular with girls. The co-sponsors for this appropriation include Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Andrew Friedson, Sidney Katz, Tom Hucker and Craig Rice.
Currently, the Montgomery County Recreation Department’s only large youth sports league is basketball, which serves 6,000 kids. With additional offerings, thousands of additional children will have opportunities to participate in league sports activities. The special appropriation will provide initial funding for the Department of Recreation to create affordable and accessible opportunities in sports that are popular with girls such as volleyball, softball, lacrosse, and soccer.
Volleyball is the most popular sport for girls in 21 states and second most popular in nine states, while softball ranks first or second in six states. Since 2001, lacrosse has seen a more than 200 percent increase in the number of collegiate women’s teams and a recent 10-year national survey showed a 101 percent increase in the number of girls participating in the sport.
The new programs will include introductory activities, instructional skills classes and clinics. The funding would also support the expansion of the Soccer-4-Change girls’ program in the County. These activities are designed to provide the foundation for the establishment of County-wide recreational leagues for these sports in the next fiscal year.
Recent reports conducted by Montgomery County’s Office of Legislative Oversight on youth sports participation in Montgomery County and gender equity in local sports programs confirmed the numerous benefits of sports participation for children and youth in social and emotional development and overall health and wellness. These reports also found that there is a wide discrepancy in sports participation in the County due to barriers to access, including social and economic factors as well as sexual orientation and gender identity.
Gender disparities in sports begin when children are young, widen as they reach middle school, and widen more dramatically during high school. Because of these disparities, many girls do not benefit from the improved health, social and life outcomes associated with sports participation. In addition, access to sports programming has also been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a coach and parent in youth sports, I know how sports help kids live healthy, learn sportsmanship and teamwork, and experience competition,” said Councilmember Riemer, chair of the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee. “For many kids, sports provides an avenue to a more affordable higher education. However, based on a recent County report, the gap in sports opportunities between boys and girls has widened to where girls drop off from sports at dramatically higher rates than boys. We should offer sports that girls enjoy to play. That is why I am so excited to propose funding that will initiate leagues in sports such as volleyball, softball and lacrosse. We can create more opportunities for girls and all kids to enjoy sports.”
“Sports at their best bring together communities and generations in ways that other genres cannot,” said Council President Gabe Albornoz, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. “As the former director of the County’s Recreation Department, I have witnessed first-hand how sports positively transform our youth, improve mental health and instill life skills that will help guide them on the right path. This special appropriation will continue the Department of Recreation’s long-term vision of sports equity and ensure that all children and youth, especially our girls, gain equal access to recreational sports, programming opportunities, and quality venues.”
A public hearing for this special appropriation is scheduled for March 22. The staff report can be found here.
Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Monday, March 14, 2022
Bill 6-22 would create an organizing body to advocate for enhanced sports opportunities and identify or address discrepancies found in youth sports opportunities in the Montgomery County
ROCKVILLE, Md., March 14, 2022—On Tuesday, March 15, Council President Gabe Albornoz will introduce Bill 6-22, which would establish an organizing body, the Montgomery County Sports Commission, to advocate for enhanced sports opportunities and identify or address discrepancies found in youth sports.
Montgomery County has a rich sports tradition and numerous public and private facilities, including the Montgomery County SoccerPlex that provide a significant economic boost to the County and raises quality of life for County residents.
The legislation proposes the creation of the Montgomery Sports Commission, consisting of 23 members, appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council, who reflect the diversity of the County, including diversity in race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, geography, and sports represented.
The Commission would be responsible for researching and reporting on factors that affect sports participation in the County; making recommendation to improve the quality, quantity and variety of sports opportunities and facilities in the County; and together with the County Executive and County Council, formally recognize teams and athletes in the County who win state or national championships, or who represent the United States in international competition.
“Sports at their best bring together communities and generations in ways that other genres cannot,” said Council President Gabe Albornoz. “It’s important that we establish an organization that helps to organize our sports community to ensure that all children and youth have access to recreational sports, programming opportunities and our County provides quality venues to meet that interest.”
Recent analysis, conducted by the County’s Office of Legislative Oversight on youth sports participation in Montgomery County and gender equity in local sports programs, confirmed the numerous benefits of sports participation for children and youth in social and emotional development and overall health and wellness. The analysis also found that there is a wide discrepancy in sports participation in the County. The reports identified barriers to access that relate to social and economic factors in addition to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Montgomery County is home to Olympic athletes, professional athletes and numerous state and National Championship teams. Sports participation is the largest extracurricular activity taken up by children and youth. When added to adult sports leagues and recreational play, Sports is the largest participatory activity in the County. Despite the significant interest and participation and rich history, there is currently no entity in the County that serves as an organizing body to help conduct research, advocate for enhanced sports opportunities, as well as identify or address discrepancies found in youth sports opportunities.
The Council staff report on the bill can be viewed here.
Montgomery County Public School Athletics have announced that effective February 22, there will be no restrictions on spectator capacity related to COVID-19.
We are excited to welcome spectators back to our events at full capacity. Tickets will still be only available through GoFan.
According to the updated Return to R.A.I.S.E. Plan, spectators, officials (other than fully vaccinated basketball officials), and coaches must wear masks at all times indoors. All participants shall bring their own mask/face covering; extra masks are available at all activities.
Per MCPS:
Please review the revised Return to R.A.I.S.E. Plan, which includes updated protocols and procedures approved by the COVID-19 Task Force for MCPS Athletics. This includes the elimination of restrictions for overnight travel, weight rooms, locker rooms, meetings, and concessions/meals.
Effective Tuesday, 2/22/22, there will be no restrictions on spectator capacity at all MCPS athletic events! Please see the 2/18 @MCPSAthletics communication for important program updates. Thank you for your continued support! #WeRAISE https://t.co/4eDOcWL5S7
— MCPS Athletics (@MCPSAthletics) February 18, 2022
On Friday, MCPS sent out a community messaging announcing that MCPS in now accepting religious exemptions to their COVID-19 vaccine requirement for student athletes. They cite the decreasing COVID-19 transmission rate as well as the high vaccination rate in Montgomery County as the reason for their decision.
Full message below:
Dear MCPS Community:
Thank you for your continued support of MCPS Athletics, as we navigate the ever-changing challenges and dynamics of COVID-19. Here are some important program updates and reminders:
Religious Exemptions – COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
In alignment with CDC guidance, MCPS is now accepting requests for religious exemptions because of the decreasing COVID-19 community transmission rate, coupled with Montgomery County’s high vaccination rate. This updated process begins with the Spring 2022 season – registration is now open.
Religious and medical exemptions are submitted using MCPS Form 560-30A, which is also available in Spanish.
Spectator Restrictions
The number of ticketed spectators at contests in MCPS facilities remains at 50% of facility capacity. While capacity restrictions are in place, please note the following:
● Tickets will be made available through GoFan digital ticketing at 12:00 noon on game day. For games with anticipated larger crowds, tickets will be available to families of participating student-athletes first through a presale (time communicated between the participating schools). A maximum of four tickets per transaction will be allowed.
● MCPS and MPSSAA passes, season tickets, and MCPS staff admission will be honored.
● Spectators and school operations will align with the Winter 2021–22 Spectator and Game-Day Guidelines.
● For non-MCPS facilities, operations will comply with the procedures and protocols of the host facility and/or jurisdiction.
● For swimming and diving meets, attendance will be limited to two spectators per student-athlete, if facilities allow.
● There are no capacity limitations for outdoor competitions.
● Gymnasium events will continue to be streamed through the NFHS Network.
Spring Registration
Registration for high school spring sports and out-of-season conditioning is open through ParentVue! The first day of the spring sports season is Tuesday, March 1. Only students who have completed the registration process, which includes submitting verification of vaccination or exemption, and meet all other eligibility requirements, will be eligible to tryout and participate.
Overnight Travel
All overnight travel is canceled through February 17. Overnight trips may resume beginning February 18.
Winter Postseason
The winter postseason continues this week – the schedule is here! More detailed information regarding postseason events can be found on the MCPS and MPSSAA websites. Updates will be provided on an ongoing basis.
NFHS Network
Contests in stadiums and main gymnasiums will continue to be broadcast live on the NFHS Network. Parents and fans can subscribe to the network and have access to all games for a monthly subscription of $10.99/month (or yearly pass for $69.99/year). All games are free after 72 hours. Information regarding programming is provided by local schools.
Middle School Athletics
Middle school basketball schedules are available here. Any potential rescheduling of middle school contests impacted by COVID-19 will continue to be coordinated through league coordinators and the Athletics Unit.
Registration for middle school spring sports (boys’ and girls’ soccer) will open through ParentVue on Monday, February 14, 2022. The first day of the spring sports season is Tuesday, March 8. Only students who have completed the registration process, which includes submitting verification of vaccination or exemption, and meet all other eligibility requirements, will be eligible to tryout and participate.
Return to R.A.I.S.E. Plan Operations
The Return to R.A.I.S.E. Plan will continue to drive program operations in regard to COVID-19 procedures and protocols. The plan is reviewed on an ongoing basis by the COVID-19 Task Force for MCPS Athletics. The latest version is always available on the COVID-19 Athletics Information webpage.
Communication and Resources
Our COVID-19 Task Force for MCPS Athletics will continue to evaluate and implement the latest safety measures. Updates and guidance from the Task Force will continue to be provided and are available on the COVID-19 Athletics Information webpage. Specific questions should be directed to your school’s athletics specialist (AD), athletic coordinator (AC), or coach.
We appreciate your continued commitment and support of our student-athletes and MCPS Athletics!
Montgomery County Public Schools
ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, a MoCo native who graduated from Sherwood High School, announced Monday that he’d miss the evening’s edition of SportsCenter after dealing with a “bit of a medical scare.”
Van Pelt said he suffered a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a rapid heartbeat that develops when the normal electrical impulses of the heart are disrupted.
Van Pelt was taken to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, MD, and is now home resting.
Van Pelt was listed as the most famous person to graduate from Sherwood High School in a 2017 MoCoShow article.
Bummed to miss one of my favorite shows of the year, but happy to be ok and home after a bit of a medical scare this afternoon. Thanks to @SuburbanHosp @CJPVFD for looking after me.
Heart got a little out of whack, (SVT) which was pretty spooky, but fine now.
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) January 11, 2022
On January 2, MCPS released an update to their Return to R.A.I.S.E. plan for school Athletics and announced that spectators will be prohibited from attending MCPS sporting events until January 16.
MCPS has also canceled all overnight travel until January 16.
You can download the full document here.
Per MCPS:
In order to minimize indoor gathering sizes and account for potential reductions in staffing, no spectators will be allowed at contests in MCPS facilities through January 16. An update will be provided on or before January 15 regarding future spectator limitations. Note the following:
● For non-MCPS facilities, operations will comply with the procedures and protocols of the host facility and/or jurisdiction.
● There are no limitations for outdoor competitions.
● Gymnasium events will continue to be streamed through the NFHS Network.
MCPS has released new guidelines for school athletic programs, including an updated policy stating that student athletes must wear masks while sitting on the sidelines/benches.
According to WTOP, under the new guidance, all games and practices will be put on hold for a team for 14 days from the last know exposure if there are five or more active cases amongst the team.
Per MCPS:
Dear MCPS Community:
Thank you for a successful start to the high school winter season! Following are some key updates
and reminders regarding program operations.
Return to R.A.I.S.E. Reminders and Information
Basketball
Officials/Referees – MCPS received a letter of approval from Montgomery County to allow that
game officials/referees who are fully vaccinated and engaged in the sport of basketball are not
required to wear face coverings. Masks/face coverings must be worn at all other times (to and from
the court, hallways, etc.).
Benches – coaches must wear masks. Student-athletes must wear masks on the bench, when
not actively participating. Therefore, student-athletes must have masks accessible to wear while
on the bench. A reasonable, common sense approach should be used for student-athletes
entering/exiting a game (for instance, rapid subbing at the end of the game for offense/defense).
Masks/Face Coverings – outside of the exemption in the Return to R.A.I.S.E. plan during active
engagement in basketball, masks must be worn at all other times – locker rooms, classrooms,
hallways, etc.
Wrestling
Benches – coaches must wear masks. Student-athletes must wear masks on the bench, when
not actively wrestling. Therefore, student-athletes must have masks accessible to wear while on
the bench. Student-athletes who are breaking a sweat, jumping rope, doing calisthenics,
demonstrating drilling moves prior to a match, are permitted to remove their mask.
Masks are required for spectators at all times.
Winter Spectator Guidelines
Spectator guidelines for the high school winter season are available here. MCPS is committed to
providing the safest, greatest experience possible for student-athletes, coaches and spectators,
consistent with the R.A.I.S.E. core values of MCPS Athletics. Spectators are expected to
demonstrate behaviors consistent with the R.A.I.S.E. core values of MCPS Athletics. Spectators
who do not comply with MCPS expectations will be asked to leave the premises and may be banned
from attending future events.
Be sure to check with your local school for the latest information regarding program operations.
Indoor Track and Field Update
The indoor track and field season is scheduled to begin on December 22, 2021 at the Prince
George’s Sports and Learning Complex.
Middle School Athletics
The winter season officially kicked off on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. Basketball games begin on
Thursday, January 6, 2021. Schedules can be found on the Middle Schools Schedules webpage
of the MCPS athletics website.
Student-Athlete Vaccination Requirements
All high school and eligible middle school student-athletes are required to submit proof of full
COVID-19 vaccination prior to participation. This requirement applies to the winter and spring
sports seasons, as well as all out-of-season activities conducted through MCPS Athletics. Only
medical exemptions will be permitted.
Vaccination FAQs
Here are answers to FAQs regarding the vaccination requirements for MCPS Athletics.
The Return to R.A.I.S.E. Plan will continue to drive program operations in regard to COVID-19
procedures and protocols. The plan is reviewed on an ongoing basis by the COVID-19 Task Force
for MCPS Athletics. The latest version is always available on the COVID-19 Athletics Information
webpage.
Communication and Resources
Our COVID-19 Task Force for MCPS Athletics will continue to evaluate and implement the latest
safety measures. Updates and guidance from the Task Force will continue to be provided and are
available on the COVID-19 Athletics Information webpage.
We appreciate your continued commitment and support. Specific questions should be directed to
your school’s athletics specialist (AD), athletic coordinator (AC), or coach.
Montgomery County Public Schools
Paint Branch High School has announced that they are pausing practices and games for their Varsity and JV Varsity Boys Basketball program after 16 students and one staff member tested positive for the Coronavirus between Dec. 3 and Dec. 6.
Boys JV and Varsity Basketball games vs Springbrook on 12/7/21 have been postponed. Make up TBA. https://t.co/oomT9ECyal
— PB Athletics (@pbhs_sports) December 6, 2021
The following letter was sent home to parents and students of the school.
This letter is to inform you that we were notified of several positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) over the weekend. We would like to thank you for taking COVID-19 seriously, following protocols, and reporting back to us when there is a positive test so that we can protect our school community.
December 3, 2021
Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 3, 2021. We were notified on December 3, 2021 of the positive test.
Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 4, 2021. We were notified on December 4, 2021 of the positive test.
Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 5, 2021. We were notified on December 5, 2021 of the positive test.
Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 3, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.
Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 6, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.
December 4, 2021
One staff member who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 4, 2021. We were notified on December 4, 2021 of the positive test.
Five students who were last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 5, 2021. We were notified on December 5, 2021 of the positive test.
Three students who were last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 5, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.
Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 6, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.
In an abundance of caution the school is taking the following actions:
Collaborating with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) outbreak team, which is a group that will assist the school with contact tracing and communication.
Closing our Early Child Development Program for 10 days. The program for Preschool students will close on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. Preschool students will be able to return to our program on December 17, 2021.
Pausing practices and games for our Varsity and JV Varsity Boys Basketball program.
Sharing some additional announcements on the Panther Report regarding the importance of adhering to best mitigation practices (mask wearing, sanitizing, staying home when sick, and getting tested for COVID-19 as needed).
We will host a vaccination clinic at Paint Branch High School. Booster doses (and potentially 2nd doses) of the vaccine will be available Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. A link will be shared to register as soon as it is available. It is anticipated that walk up appointments will not be available due to demand for this clinic.
We encourage our students to take advantage of the “Say Yes to the Test” program available in MCPS. COVID-19 Testing Will Help Reduce Quarantine and Keep Students and Staff Safe: Video and More information
Screening Testing: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends random asymptomatic COVID-19 testing because it detects and can limit the spread of the virus, even in the absence of visible symptoms.
Students that have parent permission can be tested every Wednesday from 10:00-11:30 in room 1024.
Rapid Testing: Staff from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will determine whether a COVID-19 rapid test should be administered when a student presents to a health room with potential COVID-19 symptoms.
Parents/guardians only need to fill out one form to provide consent for both types of tests.
We encourage you to closely monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, headache, and shortness of breath. If your child develops any of these symptoms, do not send them to school. You should contact your healthcare provider and have your child tested for COVID-19. Please contact the school if your child develops COVID-19-like symptoms. Students who develop symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19, will not be able to return to the building until they are medically cleared.
As a reminder, here are the steps that we can all take to keep ourselves, families, and school community safe:
Get vaccinated when eligible
Wear a mask, or appropriate face covering, at all times when in school and other public spaces.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before and after eating.
Cover your cough and/or sneeze and immediately wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
Stay home if you are sick or have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Please visit the Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery County Government websites for additional information on COVID-19 resources, including free COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccination sites.
Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have close contact with this individual and have informed them to quarantine and monitor for symptoms, per CDC guidelines.
Per current DHHS guidance and our contact tracing process, unless you are notified directly, your child does not need to quarantine as they were not in close contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19. Please visit for additional information on how the CDC, MCPS and DHHS, defines and identifies close contacts.
We appreciate your cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and healthy school environment.
