Dan Snyder is increasingly feeling isolated. Although he does not have the biggest crisis in the NFL in his own region, much less the entire country, Snyder’s stance on keeping the nickname of Washington’s NFL Franchise is losing support. More and more people are starting to see the R-word as a racial slur. Several newspapers, including the main paper in Washington D.C., the Washington Post, are curtailing or eliminating the use of the nickname in their reporting. Several Sportscasters are pledging or have already stopped using the R-word (led by Washington Post columnist Mike Wise, ESPN Host Keith Olbermann, and others). TV Shows, such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and South Park have mocked the nickname. All of this has occurred just within the past year. This is starting to turn into a similar flipping of opinions that resulted in the end of banning gay marriage in this country.
The reality is this movement of removing Indian nicknames and/or logos from sports’ teams began long before I was born. Olbermann called for the Washington name change as early as 1978. Colleges started removing Native American nicknames and logos from major colleges as early as 1969 (how many of you knew Stanford University used to be known as the Indians?)
But let’s take a realistic look as to why Dan Snyder’s is particularly upset this time. It’s all about the Football Home… and the jealously that Snyder has towards his NFC East rivals. First off, FedEx Field is not Dan Snyder’s masterpiece of a home. He is living in the house that Jack Kent Cooke built in the mid-1990s. Cooke moved the team from downtown D.C. to Landover, near the old home of the Washington Capitals and Bullets, just before he died. When Snyder bought the team in 1999, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium was 2 years old, and was the largest stadium in the NFL, seating close to 90,000 fans, yet it had a waiting list for season ticket holders that was longer than Lambeau Field’s in Green Bay. With all the modern amenities of a stadium had that was built in the 1990s, you would think that would make Snyder very happy.
But since Snyder bought the team, all his NFC East Rivals updated their home facilities. Philadelphia now has the Linc (Lincoln Financial Field). While not as big as FedEx, the stadium is situated in a nice location just south of downtown Philly (next to where Veterans Stadium used to exist) and by all accounts is a very nice place to play in. The NY Giants now play in MetLife Stadium, located right next door to their old home, the Meadowlands. It is not as big as FedEx, but it has hosted a Super Bowl and a Wrestlemania in its brief life.
But Dan’s real problem is Washington’s NFC East Main Rival, the Dallas Cowboys. America’s Team has built a home that matches the outrageous personality of its bombastic owner, Jerry Jones. Jerrah’s Palace (a.k.a. AT&T Stadium) can seat over 100,000 fans, has 2 Giant video screen situated over the middle of the field, and is a retractable dome stadium. It has a shopping area in the Stadium (a Victoria Secret’s is in there, for goodness sake). It has hosted a Super Bowl, an NCAA Final Four, international Soccer Matches, will likely host Wrestlemania 32, and, this January, will host the 1st National Championship Game in the NCAA FBS College Football Playoff Era.
All of a sudden, coupled with the fact that Washington’s rivals have all played in and/or won Super Bowls since Washington last appeared in the Big Game and have stayed competitive while Washington has struggled since 1991, the lack of reason to support the team has taken a lot of the luster off of Dan’s borrowed home. Even Dan’s geographic rival, the Baltimore Ravens, have won two Super Bowls since their arrival in 1996, sheering any potential fan base north of Laurel that wasn’t already supporting the Eagles or Steelers before the Ravens’ arrival. Dan has also clashed with long-time ticket holders, has served old food and beer at his place, and has been generally combative with the local press. Dan created his own radio network about 10 years ago, then bought out the oldest sports station in DC, WTEM, effectively neutering criticism from people like Tony Kornheiser and Steve Czaban.
And even with all that, the fact is Dan wants more. In short, he wants his own palace. He wants about a 65,000 to 70,000 seat facility, possibly with a retractable dome that would allow him to host Super Bowls, Finals Fours, Soccer Matches, and other big sporting events. In short, he wants a mini version of what Jerry Jones has. And he wants to keep the name, of course. He has stated the name will never change as long as he is owner, which may last for a long time.
But the nickname is proving to be a big hindrance to Dan’s plans to build his own shrine. With politicians, such as President Barack Obama, Maryland Governor Martin O’ Malley, and other top progressives in the greater D.C. area stating their support for a name change, Snyder is largely stuck where he is for the moment. And with support at the top of the NFL now embroiled in domestic violence controversies, Dan is largely left to fight this battle without the support of Roger Goodell.
Other sports’ teams with Native American logos have started to remove those logos from their uniforms. The Golden State Warriors long removed any Native American references when they moved to the San Francisco Area. The Kansas City Chiefs may still have an arrowhead in their logo, but have largely removed other logos from the names. And the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians have removed logos that might be deemed offensive to Native American tribes from their main and alternate uniforms. The Atlanta Braves have also done something that Dan Snyder would like to do: they recently announced plans to build and move to a new stadium within 3 years. They are also moving to an area that is resistant to change in the Atlanta area, which means it may take another generation before a challenge to the Braves nickname can happen. Only the Chicago Blackhawks have done little to change their logo, but their logo and team history is well-known and is extremely popular. It’s going to be a long time before the Hawks change their logo.
Dan Snyder tries to promote the history of the Washington franchise as reason to keep the team name. But even that has been controversial with newspaper articles featuring comments from the original owner back in the 1930s contradicting Snyder’s version of the franchise history. In short, Snyder has no moral ground to stand on and support keeping the name as is, unlike Chicago’s Blackhawks.
Which leads to one undeniable conclusion: Snyder is facing a difficult choice. If he wants a new stadium, the nickname will have to be changed. Any attempts to buy property in secret and spring a surprise move will no longer happen, thanks to what the Atlanta Braves pulled. And politicians won’t allow it to happen. Dan can stay in the stadium he never built and keep the name. In time, even that will be an untenable position. Change is a constant, and the move of progressivism could mean a majority of American citizens will eventually oppose the team name.
Keith Olbermann offered a simple, yet brilliant way out for Snyder if he would take it. Keep the logo, but change the nickname to Americans. Doing so may garner support with Native Americans and the Progressive movement as a whole. More and more media figures are calling for the name change. While a tipping point has yet to be reached, it is likely to be reached soon. Snyder wants a new stadium. But like George Prescott Marshall before him who was forced to integrate the Washington team in order to get funding for a new stadium, Snyder will likely have to change the team name if he wants his own stadium deal. He can try to cut a deal now. Or he can wait… and be forced to change the team name without a guaranteed stadium deal. The clock is ticking, Dan. Let us know when you want to talk.
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