The NFL’s Washington Commanders team has denied claims that it withheld ticket revenue from visiting teams.
A former employee is reported to have told a Congressional committee that the DC-based team committed financial impropriety by failing to meet NFL revenue sharing rules which require franchises to deposit 40% of ticket revenue into a visiting team fund.
The accusations were reportedly made by Jason Friedman, formerly the team’s vice president of sales and customer service, who was giving evidence to the House Oversight and Reform Committee which is investigating the Commanders – formerly the Redskins, who rebranded in February 2022 – and its owner Dan Snyder.
“There has been absolutely no withholding of ticket revenue at any time by the Commanders,” a Washington Commanders spokesperson said in a statement. “Those revenues are subject to independent audits by multiple parties. Anyone who offered testimony suggesting a withholding of revenue has committed perjury, plain and simple.”
NFL teams are regularly audited with regards to their ticket revenue and visiting team fund requirements. It is believed the Commanders – who had the second lowest average attendance in the most recent NFL season – were most recently audited in 2019.
Front Office Sports reported last week that the House Oversight Committee had expanded its investigation beyond allegations the Commanders fostered a hostile workplace environment to include an examination of the finances of the team and owner Snyder.
The evidence attributed to Friedman has been dismissed by Rep Austin Hacker, a Republican member of the Democrat-led committee.
He told Front Office Sports: “The leak of one-sided, unconfirmed, unsupported allegations from a disgruntled ex-employee with an axe to grind is just further proof the Democrats’ investigation is a waste of Congress’ time. Nothing the Committee has heard from any credible witness points to any financial improprieties; in fact, the only credible witness in a position to know the facts the Democrats have heard from has denied any such improprieties.”
Image: Anders Krøgh Jørgensen on Unsplash
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