There’s been some growing talk that embattled Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder could be forced to sell the team as scandal after scandal surrounds the organization.
Most recently, a report from Jarrett Bell of USA Today, NFL owners are “counting votes” to see if they have enough to actually remove Snyder from his role as the Commanders’ owner. Bell sourced an anonymous NFL owner in his report.
This all comes after allegations that Snyder cheated the league and its teams out of ticket revenue by cooking the proverbial books. The allegations come from the bipartisan House Committee on Oversight and Reform in the form of a letter it sent to the Federal Trade Commision (FTC).
“We are writing to share evidence of concerning business practices by the Washington Commanders uncovered during the Committee’s ongoing investigation into workplace misconduct at the team.
Evidence obtained by the Committee, including emails, documents, and statements from former employees, indicate senior executives and the team’s owner, Daniel Snyder, may have engaged in a troubling, long-running, and potentially unlawful pattern of financial conduct that victimized thousands of team fans and the National Football League.”
House Committee on Oversight and Reform letter to Federal Trade Commission chair Lina M. Khan (April 12, 2022)
In asking questions about Daniel Snyder potentially being forced to sell the Commanders, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters on Tuesday that he has not heard such a thing.
Related: Candidates to buy the Washington Commanders from Daniel Snyder
What would it take for Daniel Snyder to be forced to sell the Commanders?
While Goodell says publicly that he’s not aware of the talk, it really wouldn’t be surprising. When billionaires are allegedly cheated out of millions by other billionaires, they’ll quickly turn against those responsible. This seems to be happening within thee confines of the NFL’s power elite.
Functionally, 24 of the league’s 31 other owners would have to vote to remove Daniel Snyder from power. At that point, he would be forced to sell the team.
Given these latest allegations, it stands to reason that there’s at least talk about it behind the scenes.
It also stands to reason that these owners would benefit financially from Snyder being forced to sell. NFL team values are at an all-time high. The Denver Broncos’ pending sale could reach a whopping $5 billion. That’s just insane.
The backdrop here are previous allegations levied against Snyder and the Commanders’ organization claiming workplace misconduct. These allegations have existed for well over a calendar year now, and now include Snyder specifically.