More than a decade ago, the Washington City Paper's Dave McKenna offered NFL fans the definitive guide to the lameness of NFL owner Daniel Snyder. Snyder was widely considered to be the ultimate cheapskate-- selling his fans stale beer and expired food products. He even once tried to get media outlets to stop using the team name without permission. As if charging some of the league's highest prices for parking and beer wasn't enough to alienate his fan base!
For years, the short-statured owner refused widespread calls to change the racist name of the team-- even in the face of losing the legal trademark on the team's namesake. Snyder finally succumbed to the pressure and changed the team's name to the one of the worst options available to him. Nevertheless, Snyder continued to operate the worst stadium in the league-- in fact, part of the stadium collapsed just last season following an Eagles-Commanders game. Yikes!
Now there are indications that the embattled owner is finally being forced to sell the team. According to Forbes magazine, Snyder has hired Bank of America to sell the team. The diminutive executive already has at least four calls from groups interested in buying the team. Snyder and his bankers are exploring all options, and a transaction could be for the entire NFL team or a minority stake.
It's become obvious why little Danny Snyder is trying to unload the team. The U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia has opened a criminal investigation into the organization over allegations that the team engaged in financial improprieties. Government prosecutors are investigating evidence that the Commanders withheld ticket revenue from visiting teams and refundable deposits from fans. In 2016, a U.S. House committee found that the team had kept up to $5 million from season-ticket holders and concealed sharable revenue from the league.
The Commanders kept two sets of financial records. One of them was for "under-reported ticket revenue that went to the NFL" and the other was the "full, complete picture" of the organization’s finances. Snyder was aware of this and "also being privy to the actual data."
Congress began investigating the team in October 2021 when allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct arose after emails from then-Commanders team president Bruce Allen were leaked. Snyder was found to have played a significant role in fostering a toxic work environment and he even went so far as to impede the NFL’s independent probe into those allegations. Snyder refused to testify at a hearing before House lawmakers in June as part of the investigation.
Indianapolis Colts owner owner Jim Irsay publicly called for Snyder's removal during the NFL fall meetings in New York, stating there was "merit" to do so after ESPN reported that Snyder had hired private investigators to dig up dirt on other NFL owners to insulate himself from disciplinary action. NFL policy stipulates 24 of the league's 32 owners must vote in favor of a removal in order for Snyder to be ousted. An NFL owner has never been voted out. It's looking like Snyder is going to bail out before that happens.
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