Plenty of theories have emerged in the aftermath of Wednesday’s stunning announcement by the Commanders that ownership is looking for a buyer. A new report ties the decision to one very simple dynamic.
Dan Snyder’s peers are telling him it’s time to go, and he’s apparently listening.
According to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, multiple owners “have confronted” Snyder privately in recent weeks regarding the question of whether he should cash out and move on. Even more, per the report, have told Commissioner Roger Goodell “that something must give.”
Wednesday’s news came from the “growing consensus” that it’s time.
It’s surprising that Snyder is willing to listen. He had seemed to be determined to refuse to sell, and to embrace the reality that a protracted legal fight would be required to get him to go away. Obviously, something has registered for him in recent days.
There has been speculation that Snyder has a broader strategy in mind, that perhaps he put the team on the market to reduce the pressure that has continuously been mounting for months. The flaw in this thinking is that Wednesday’s move prompted widespread jubilation from Commanders fans regarding the possibility that the franchise will be saved by the prospect of new management.
At this point, it will be incredibly difficult for Snyder to retreat to an all-caps-never refusal to sell. While nothing stops him from changing his mind, it would spark an even stronger outcry from those who have had a chance to envision a not-too-distant future that entails someone/anyone other than Snyder in control of what once was, and what should be, one of the NFL’s flagship franchises.
And so it appears that Snyder’s original investment of $750 million in 1999 will result in $5 billion or more, allowing him to fade into oblivion and enjoy the remainder of his days without being the target of so much animosity, derision, and flat-out hatred.
Thus, while it won’t be over until the paperwork has been signed and the money has been wired, it seems to be moving in that direction. Which is absolutely the right outcome — for everyone except those owners who enjoyed competing for championships without the Commanders ever being a factor.