This is just wrong, I'm sorry but these guys can't afford their season tickets anymore so Snyder sues them for a total of 3.6 million dollars? AYFKM?? that is the definition of totally awful. http://sports.yahoo.com/top/blog/roy_s_johnson/post/Hard-luck-Washington-fans-get-skinned;_ylt=AtYge.MnO.iUHSziQPX0wvJDubYF?urn=top,187128 I've generally stayed out of the fray when the topic is Dan Snyder. The man is a new-age mogul with new-age ways that don't always sit well with us old-school types. (Consider him the NFL's Mark Cuban, without the need to let us know what's on his mind every single waking moment.) What do I care if the Washington Redskins owner seems to know nothing about running a successful NFL franchise? As long as he's not hurting anyone, he's not worth the bother. Well, according to a well-reported story in the Washington Post, now he's hurting people. Even worse, people who love the 'Skins. People like Pat Hill, a 72-year-old real estate agent who's been devastated by the collapse of the housing market. Like Randy Clarno, 51, a developer who was forced to lay off 20 employees. Like 37-year-old Rodney Hubbard, who lost his salesman job at a car dealership. Like Dennis Butts, 62, a contractor who once even worked at the 'Skins headquarters. Synder is hurting these people (and many others) by suing them because ? due to various economic circumstances not unlike millions of other Americans are enduring ? they could no longer afford their multi-year season-ticket contract and often would agree to a "settlement" they also could not afford. According to the Post, Synder's Wfi Stadium Inc. sued 125 ticket holders for a total of $3.6 million, winning $2 million in judgments from 34 ticket holders, most of whom couldn't afford an attorney and subsequently didn't show up in court. The judgement against Hill, who had a 10-year ticket agreement, was $66,364. Clarno lost a judgment for $80,837. Hubbard, $71,000. And Butts, who had four Touchdown Club seats, a whopping $209,351. This is unconscionable. Where is the outrage over this injustice? Where is Roger Goodell?! The Redskins' general counsel, David Donovan, bravely spoke to the Post and addressed each of the individuals in the story. He added that suing is a last resort used only against a minuscule portion of the team's 20,000 annual premium seat contract holders. "For every one we sue, I would guess we work out a deal for half a dozen." I fully understand that many season-ticket holders throughout sports stretch their wallets too far in order to satisfy their passion for their favorite team ? just as millions of foreclosed homeowners bought houses they could not afford. No doubt some of these 'Skins fans were guilty of such blindness, swayed in the midst of the same flush times that caused many of us to make foolish (or at least risky) financial choices. Still, these times call for more compassionate action, especially by sports franchises, which, unlike banks, have a long-term relationship with their "customer" ? often a die-hard, lifelong relationship. Indeed the Post contacted several teams that said they did not sue fans over season ticket contracts: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans. The New England Patriots and Chicago Bears confessed that they have sued ticket holders. Seven teams declined to comment and others simply did not respond the reporter. At worst, beleaguered ticket holders should be able to walk away from their ducats without future obligations. Particularly in the NFL where there's rarely an empty seat in the place. In most cities, there will be another willing fan to pay the freight. To sue a down-on-their-luck fan in the midst of this economic tsunami is perhaps the greatest breach a team can make with its fans. And that's something no sports team or league can afford right now.
It must also mean there is nobody else willing to buy them or they would have just taken the seats back as a breach of contract.
Figures Kraft would be one of 3 owners who'd actually sue their own fans... What a fucking scumbag move by all three teams
all 3 of those teams are dickheads. these ppl are at an all time low and then you sue them. which they probably cant afford and will end up going to jail. i wish they would of mentioned that.. at least woody isnt sinking that low. not yet anyway
If you promise to pay for something, you owe the person you promised to pay the money. How rich they are and how poor you are is beyond irrelevant. These aren't charities. If you can't afford to honor your financial obligations, file bankruptcy. Fucking liberals . . .
I'm "liberal" but I'm right there with you. Everyone loves to blame the banks on why the economy sunk so low but people had to accept these loans in the first place, often to buy shit they couldn't afford to begin with. This is actually rather similar.. another instance of an American spending beyond his/her means. I can certainly see how this looks cold to some but don't ever make the mistake of fooling yourself into thinking the NFL is anything but a business.
The reasonable person in me agreed with you, but I broke off a table leg and beat that little fucker down where he belongs. The unreasonable person in me would rather just hate Snyder and Kraft for being fuckheads.
Not to digress but that's why people love to blame the banks. Because they made the loans to people who couldn't afford it and why? So they could become richer. It IS the banks fault.
Sorry Don. It's not about who is more at fault because both sides are at fault. You are in charge of your own finances. Period. Having said that, what the banks did was wrong in an obvious attempt to create profit but what else is new with capitalism?
The banks were in charge of following guidelines established to make sure people could affort the loans. They didn't follow them.
What do think Snyder should do to some poor slob who paid his whole bill in full and then lost his job and could really use the money back now? Give him a refund?
i still think the prices these people pay for tickets is ridiculous...So one can have sympathy, but damn spend your money wisely.
No. The guy could try to sell the tickets himself to recover some of his money. As Abz said, I don't disagree with your argument... I just like hating on the Pats and Skins
so, can Snyder collect this judgment as well as sell the tickets to another customer, or does the judgment force the previous ticket holder into keeping the tickets? what then if he doesn't pay, what happens to those tickets? it would seem odd that the law would allow clubs and Snyder to double up by forcing the previous ticket holder to pay while allowing the club to sell the tickets to another customer. how would the club be damaged if they sold the tickets and made their money, unless they sell them for less and are forcing the previous holder to pay the difference.
Snyder may have an obligation to mitigate damages. Probably depends on some combination of what's buried in the fine print and what the law of the jurisdiction requires. As far as the suits that have gone to judgment, however, those saps have to pay up regardless of what he does with the tickets.
Nobody is going to jail - there haven't been debtor's prisons in the US in 175 years. The only exceptions are for child support, and under rare circumstances if a person has the means to pay a debt and refuses to do so. What will happen is that these people will have to declare bankruptcy, which would probably happen anyway.
The players don't even have guaranteed contracts. If Gholston sucks the rest of his career do you think he should have the opportunity to receive the rest of his nonguaranteed money? Baker got cut after signing an extension. Those fans should just lose the tickets rather than face a lawsuit.
