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Snyder has more than Ralph to worry about
His own fans are turning on him...
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Greed of the Burgundy and Gold
Thursday, April 13, 2006; Page A20
When the Washington Redskins kick off against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, it will mark the first time in 40 years that neither my father nor I will be in the stands. Redskins season tickets have been in my family since the 1960s, but as a single parent and a teacher, I can no longer afford them.
When my father passed the tickets to me in 1997, the season tickets cost $440. The bill for this year: $2,100.
The upper deck used to be called the cheap seats. Now it's just the upper deck. My reward for supporting the team through the Norv Turner era, the Marty Schottenheimer year and the glory of Steve Spurrier is to be priced out of my seats. And my understanding is that the Redskins were the most profitable franchise in the NFL before this increase.
At RFK Stadium I sat next to the same people for 30 years. I knew them and their kids by their first names. Yet so many tickets are scalped now that any sense of community is gone. The high cost of tickets necessitates people selling some of theirs off.
Shouldn't the owner of the most profitable team in the NFL focus on creating a winning environment? How about showing some love for what he calls "the most loyal and dedicated fans in all of sports"?
From obstructed-view seats, to denying pedestrian access to the stadium, to $35 parking and $8 beer, to charging admission to view practice, to trying to restrict season-ticket purchases to a Redskins credit card, Daniel Snyder seems intent on bleeding the cash cow dry. Redskins fans have always been loyal and dedicated. It's too bad the same cannot be said of the team owner.
I may bleed burgundy, but I'm afraid I'm bled out. I wish the Redskins had an owner who cared more about the burgundy and gold and less about the green.
STEVE RAGSDALE
Bethesda
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Greed of the Burgundy and Gold
Thursday, April 13, 2006; Page A20
When the Washington Redskins kick off against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, it will mark the first time in 40 years that neither my father nor I will be in the stands. Redskins season tickets have been in my family since the 1960s, but as a single parent and a teacher, I can no longer afford them.
When my father passed the tickets to me in 1997, the season tickets cost $440. The bill for this year: $2,100.
The upper deck used to be called the cheap seats. Now it's just the upper deck. My reward for supporting the team through the Norv Turner era, the Marty Schottenheimer year and the glory of Steve Spurrier is to be priced out of my seats. And my understanding is that the Redskins were the most profitable franchise in the NFL before this increase.
At RFK Stadium I sat next to the same people for 30 years. I knew them and their kids by their first names. Yet so many tickets are scalped now that any sense of community is gone. The high cost of tickets necessitates people selling some of theirs off.
Shouldn't the owner of the most profitable team in the NFL focus on creating a winning environment? How about showing some love for what he calls "the most loyal and dedicated fans in all of sports"?
From obstructed-view seats, to denying pedestrian access to the stadium, to $35 parking and $8 beer, to charging admission to view practice, to trying to restrict season-ticket purchases to a Redskins credit card, Daniel Snyder seems intent on bleeding the cash cow dry. Redskins fans have always been loyal and dedicated. It's too bad the same cannot be said of the team owner.
I may bleed burgundy, but I'm afraid I'm bled out. I wish the Redskins had an owner who cared more about the burgundy and gold and less about the green.
STEVE RAGSDALE
Bethesda
Holy 
!!
If people can afford season tix and they want them, they'll go
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