Washington Commanders for Sale?
The latest news on the Washington Commanders has been a rollercoaster. On the bright side, one of their franchise players has been activated, as Chase Young is prepared to help his team through this season after an ACL injury. Washington has been playing pretty decently, winning most of their games in the past weeks. It appears they’ve been looking to keep that theme alive. Just when it appeared that Washington could solely focus on football without any distractions, the owner Dan Snyder had other plans; it was released that he is considering selling the team.
Staying Focused
This may not be the worst news for fans that have been wishing for a new owner for some time now. However, the impact of the sale may affect more than just the fans. Although the fans have been a major contributor to possibly shifting power and ownership of the team. The attendance at Washington games has been poor recently, so it may be time for a new look. Nevertheless, the players who are playing for the franchise have already been questioned on the issue. With the media attempting to get answers, it’s clear they’re doing their job. But it’s also evident that it’s taking the team’s attention from the most important thing, which is winning. In response to the questions regarding the sale of the team, winning their upcoming games seemed to be the common goal amongst the players.
Commanders running back Antonio Gibson said that he “didn’t even know about the news until the media told him after practice.” Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin went on record saying “if we let the outside distractions affect the way we prepare, affect the way we come to work every day, then we’re going to look pretty bad on Sunday, which is not going to help the overall optics of everything. So we have a whole lot on our own plate inside this building.” I give credit to the team for being able to handle the questions and focus on the main objective, which is winning football games. It can’t be easy having reporters ask how you feel about the owner you work for giving up the team after you get out of practice. As Gibson stated, he wasn’t even aware of the news until after practice ended.
Guess How Much the Team is Worth?
A new look would certainly come at a cost, as Snyder would likely have to pay for a new stadium. It would be costly, but needed for a fresh breath in the city. Since Snyder purchased the franchise back in 1999, the Commanders have made it to the playoffs a total of six times. Definitely not having the most impressive resume as an owner, with the criticisms faced off the field along with allegations, has made people like me skeptical of his ownership. If this transaction is made it would be a very expensive one. Regardless of the shady history of the franchise, Forbes Magazine estimated the total worth of the team to be 5.6 billion dollars, making the Commanders the sixth most valuable franchise in the NFL. It’s a hefty amount for a team not known for winning. Even though fans barely show up to the game – the second-lowest attendance rating this past season – the company is still expensive. Washington has had the worst attendance in their two playoff wins under Snyder in the past 20 years. If Snyder makes the decision to sell 100% of the team it will make history as being the most expensive sale of a professional sports team in sports history. This only shows how lucrative this team is, no matter its past.
Looking to the Future
Uncertain if the team’s success is in his best interests with his role in leadership, and a losing history, the odds are severely stacked against Snyder. Now more than ever Washington’s ownership looks available. With the talks being released about selling the team, the franchise has sought help from companies such as Bank of America to assist in selling the team. Having the franchise currently looking at all options, the transition from a FedEx to a Bank of America stadium would surely bring a different feel to the franchise. After already changing the team’s name and uniforms, it’s almost like they’ve been rebooting the entire system, starting from the ground and working their way up. Now that the company is in conversations about shifting the entirety of the franchise, it’s time to look to the future.
Viewing ownership and probable candidates that could purchase the franchise, what’s next to come for Washington could be something great. When speaking on this matter, sports commentator Stephen A. Smith brought up people such as Mellody Hobson, who is a part owner of the Denver Broncos. Not saying that this has to be a concrete decision. Yet, it would be great to see someone of color owning a team. He also mentioned people like Beyoncé or Jay-Z have the funds to purchase a team. Jay-Z took a chance on purchasing some ownership of his hometown Brooklyn Nets, so he has the credentials of an owner as well. If this franchise really wanted to revamp things, this would be the way to go. Having a Black person as the owner may bring to light the secrets of this organization, while also exposing the terrible mistreatment of this franchise.
Taking a look at the bigger picture, this wouldn’t be just huge for the franchise, but the entire league. The NFL consists mainly of African Americans, having a majority of Black people playing for their teams. Being the biggest contributors, Black people essentially have carried this franchise for years with no Black owners. It has been long enough. Washington has opened the door for a true change that would be felt across the league. Being the team that represents the nation’s capital, it would surely send a message. As mentioned earlier, the team is very profitable despite the lack of interest from many locals. If a deal like this, which has never been seen before, is made, a rise in popularity would be inevitable. Only this time it would be for the right reasons with no negativity involved. I am in favor of a change such as this because Washington could really use some positive change. It’s been long overdue.