Snyder's Commanders/Redskins in Hot Water Again

[RiverDog]

As if the sexual harassment allegations weren't enough:

Congress says Washington Commanders appear to have broken financial laws, owe money to visiting teams, season-ticket holders

The Washington Commanders failed to refund security deposits, concealed revenue and kept two sets of financial books, the House Oversight and Reform Committee alleged in a letter it sent to the Federal Trade Commission.

The 20-page letter detailed what the committee said was a multiyear process of altering records to hide revenue that led to more profits for the organization. The allegation of financial improprieties were made by former longtime employee Jason Friedman who, on March 14, met with members of the committee as part of its investigation into the team's workplace culture.

According to emails and an Excel sheet he provided to the committee, Friedman alleged the team might have retained as much as $5 million in deposits from approximately 2,000 customers.

"Quite frankly, as you go through the allegations it reads like a description of some organization out of 'The Godfather' and not an NFL football team," Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill) told ESPN. He signed the letter along with the chairwoman of the committee, Rep. Carol Maloney (D-NY). "It really helps to color the culture and impunity that other witnesses have described and the evidence of severe dysfunction."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/337 ... et-holders

There's a ton of stuff in that article. It's like the Watson scandal. There's so many accusations that they can't all be false.

[Aseahawkfan]

I guess that is appropriate Snyder owns the D.C. team as it mirrors the corruption and incompetence in Washington D.C.

[Hawktawk]

I guess that is appropriate Snyder owns the D.C. team as it mirrors the corruption and incompetence in Washington D.C.

Good one ASEA

[Aseahawkfan]

It was just too easy a comparison. Haha.

Snyder makes Jerry Jones look hyper competent and the Cowboys look like a well run operation of choir boys. That guy is an idiot. I'm surprised Goodel and the other owners haven't privately asked him to sell the team.

[RiverDog]

How long are they going to let this stuff trickle out? If it were anyone else, they'd be forcing them to sell the team like they did with Jerry Richardson.

[NorthHawk]

I think the NFL might be stockpiling evidence for when they want to drop the hammer on Snyder.
He’s a slippery weasel so they need a clean break and don’t want an extended court case to drag
the league through the mud. As well, an investigation might bring to light financial information
that either the IRS or NFLPA might not currently know about. Imagine if the teams had been
systematically understating attendance revenue across the league.

[RiverDog]

I think the NFL might be stockpiling evidence for when they want to drop the hammer on Snyder. He’s a slippery weasel so they need a clean break and don’t want an extended court case to drag the league through the mud. As well, an investigation might bring to light financial information that either the IRS or NFLPA might not currently know about. Imagine if the teams had been systematically understating attendance revenue across the league.

I thought about that, too. Is Snyder the only dirty owner? Congress might re-consider the league's anti trust exemption if there were widespread corruption amongst multiple teams.

Snyder has run that franchise into the ground. There was a time when they had the largest waiting list of wanna be season ticket holders in the league. Now they rank next to last in attendance, ahead of only the Detroit Lions.

[Hawktawk]

I think it’s the tip of the iceberg is why nothing more has been done. Jones has reportedly paid millions to silence women and had an exec planting cameras to spy on nude cheerleaders . Ross with his bribe offers to” tank” for 100K per game to Flores . Kraft with his happy ending massage . These are things known about some of the richest most jaded people in the World . What more is not known or is this all of it among 31 teams ? They grope who they wish and regularly screw over business partners , delay paying bills etc . Garden variety wealthy people often do the same and I’ve worked for some . This league is too corrupt to investigate itself but so is the Congress .

[RiverDog]

I think it’s the tip of the iceberg is why nothing more has been done. Jones has reportedly paid millions to silence women and had an exec planting cameras to spy on nude cheerleaders . Ross with his bribe offers to” tank” for 100K per game to Flores . Kraft with his happy ending massage . These are things known about some of the richest most jaded people in the World . What more is not known or is this all of it among 31 teams ? They grope who they wish and regularly screw over business partners , delay paying bills etc . Garden variety wealthy people often do the same and I’ve worked for some . This league is too corrupt to investigate itself but so is the Congress .

I'm not sure how Kraft's happy ending massage could be linked to financial corruption and sexual harassment in the workplace and although I don't know or suspect that it's the tip of an iceberg, I agree with you that there could be, or perhaps even likely that, there are other owners with dirty hands.

On another topic, I sure wish the other 31 teams would adapt the same ownership structure that the Packers have, where they're owned by stockholders, ie the fans. It would solve so many problems.

[NorthHawk]

If I remember correctly, the league charter doesn't permit a team being set up like the Packers.
They are grandfathered but if it were to sell, it would be to the highest bidder with the same ownership rules as for all other teams.

[c_hawkbob]

If I remember correctly, the league charter doesn't permit a team being set up like the Packers.
They are grandfathered but if it were to sell, it would be to the highest bidder with the same ownership rules as for all other teams.

That's correct. And I don't think I trust corporations (even the odd sort of corporation the Packers ownership is) any more than I do Billionaires anyway. Both are capable of corruption and callousness.

[RiverDog]

If I remember correctly, the league charter doesn't permit a team being set up like the Packers.
They are grandfathered but if it were to sell, it would be to the highest bidder with the same ownership rules as for all other teams.

That's correct. And I don't think I trust corporations (even the odd sort of corporation the Packers ownership is) any more than I do Billionaires anyway. Both are capable of corruption and callousness.

I'm fully aware of the grandfather clause that allows the Packers to be owned by minority stockholders. They are the only North American major league franchise to have such an arrangement.

I agree that it's not going to be the answer to all potential misdeeds. But it would solve the problem of a city being held hostage for new stadiums, provide some control on ticket prices, etc. It would be better than what we have today.