Dan Snyder: Suing former Redskins Season Ticket Holders Who Have Lost Their Jobs

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Article is over a month and a half old, this is probably a repost but if so, I never saw it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...090203887.html

This is a huge article, so I'm going to put in the next post.

EDIT: The article is just way too big. Feel free to click the link.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by milkman

I get it.

I just think it's ridiculous for teams to offer individuals PSLs and contracts over extended peiods of time.

One or two year contracts with the option to renew should be the max.

These PSLs and long term contracts are eventually going to lead to fewer hardcore fans.

In hot markets like D.C. and NYC, they can and will have contracts of this length because it's necessary for them to budget. THIS is the dirty little secret that most fans don't know about that's happening in the larger markets and in Dallas. Jerry Jones and owners like the Kraft Family and Snyder want to and need to keep this revenue stream so they can "buy" all the best players. It's going to be extremely contentious when negotiations open for the next CBA and it's not just between players and management. It'll be owners versus owners. These guys are sick of sharing their revenues with teams like the Chiefs and Jerry Jones has specifically mentioned them.

It's no secret that the worst teams record-wise in the NFL are also among the lowest revenue generating teams and the wealthier owners are tired of sharing their revenues to "float" these teams.

On another note, the PSL's at the new Giants & Jets stadium are out of this world.

I have a friend who's family has had eight Jet tickets since they were the Titans and eight Giants tickets going back to the 30's. Because of the PSL's, they're only getting two seats for each.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Let's not make it out like this is all a bunch of big companies that are just bailing on their obligation. The story opens with a lady who owned a real estate company. Okay. They have a contract. Legal. But it's not ethical or moral to resell the product and then turn around and sue the first person who couldn't pay for it in the first place.

It would be hard to find a more loyal fan of the Washington Redskins than real estate agent Pat Hill. She's had season tickets since the early 1960s, when her daughter danced in the halftime shows at the old D.C. Stadium, before it was renamed in memory of Robert F. Kennedy.

In the hallway of her modest home south of Alexandria, the 72-year-old grandmother points out the burgundy-and-gold Redskins hook rug she made. In her bedroom, she shows off the pennants from two Redskins Super Bowl games she attended, and she opens a music box on her dresser that plays "Hail to the Redskins."

Now, Hill says, her beloved Redskins are forcing her into bankruptcy.

Last year, Hill's real estate sales were hit hard by the housing market crash, and she told the team that she could no longer afford her $5,300-a-year contract for two loge seats behind the end zone. Hill said she asked the Redskins to waive her contract for a year or two.

The sales office declined.

On Oct. 8, the Redskins sued Hill in Prince George's County Circuit Court for backing out of a 10-year ticket-renewal agreement after the first year. The team sought payment for every season through 2017, plus interest, attorneys' fees and court costs.

Hill couldn't afford a lawyer. She did not fight the lawsuit or even respond to it because, she said, she believes that the Bible says that it is morally wrong not to pay your debts. The team won a default judgment of $66,364.
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"It really breaks my heart," Hill said, her voice cracking as the tears well and spill. "I don't even believe in bankruptcy.

"We are supposed to pay our bills. I ain't trying to get out of anything."

Hill is one of 125 season ticket holders who asked to be released from multiyear contracts and were sued by the Redskins in the past five years. The Washington Post interviewed about two dozen of them. Most said that they were victims of the economic downturn, having lost a job or experiencing some other financial hardship.

Redskins General Counsel David Donovan said the lawsuits are a last resort that involve a small percentage of the team's 20,000 annual premium seat contracts. He added that the team has accommodated people in hard-luck circumstances hundreds of times. He said he was unaware of Pat Hill's case."

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

There are individuals involved but in most cases, people just didn't feel like paying anymore and cited "the economy".

You know what's really ****ing stupid? These people could put those tickets on eBay or Stubhub and make a profit.

Instead, the overwhelming majority of them didn't even show up in court to fight.

That's ****ing stupid.

I can't even remotely argue with that. But to me, Dan Snyder is an asshole for going after some 73 year old lady who has faithfully purchased his product for almost 50 years. That woman has probably never heard of stubhub.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

I can't even remotely argue with that. But to me, Dan Snyder is an asshole for going after some 73 year old lady who has faithfully purchased his product for almost 50 years. That woman has probably never heard of stubhub.

That's fine. One lady. But if you read the other stories, they're no where near the same. It's people that renegged on a contract. One guy was so ****ing dumb he put the $15,000.00 balance he was due on a credit card AFTER the judgment was made against him! He didn't show up in court, lost the tickets and STILL had to pay.

I have a hard time feeling sorry for stupid people.

It's a character flaw.

[teedubya]

I don't think DaneMcCloud would last very long on very many other forums... heh. He'd get banned for all of the personal assaults and name calling. lmao

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by Ari Chi3fs

I don't think DaneMcCloud would last very long on very many other forums... heh. He'd get banned for all of the personal assaults and name calling. lmao

You're right. Most other boards have easily wounded vaginas. At least in my limited experience.....coughORANGEMANE.......cough.......

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Let's not make it out like this is all a bunch of big companies that are just bailing on their obligation. The story opens with a lady who owned a real estate company. Okay. They have a contract. Legal. But it's not ethical or moral to resell the product and then turn around and sue the first person who couldn't pay for it in the first place.

Well, it is a product. Did you expect them to not re-sell the seat? Leave it empty because someone re-negged? I know that in your line of business, you understand that it's not possible or feasible.

And let's keep in mind, these ticket holders had contracts for 20,000 Premium Seats.

The Redskins aren't going after people in the bleachers or just any old joe. Premium Seats that come along with a contract.

It sucks for that old lady but if it's me signing a 6 or 10 year contract at a cost of $15-20k per season (or whatever), I've got that money set aside for payment.

Otherwise, I'm not signing that contract.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Well, it is a product. Did you expect them to not re-sell the seat? Leave it empty because someone re-negged? I know that in your line of business, you understand that it's not possible or feasible.

And let's keep in mind, these ticket holders had contracts for 20,000 Premium Seats.

The Redskins aren't going after people in the bleachers or just any old joe. Premium Seats that come along with a contract.

It sucks for that old lady but if it's me signing a 6 or 10 year contract at a cost of $15-20k per season (or whatever), I've got that money set aside for payment.

Otherwise, I'm not signing that contract.

Well, you're absolutely speaking in a language that I understand and comply with every day in my real life. But Dane, I hate it. I'm not self loathing over it. It's a job that has to be done and I'm very good at it. It's certainly not how I would do things in business, which is why I can never be super rich. It sucks, but I've come to grips with it.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Well, you're absolutely speaking in a language that I understand and comply with every day in my real life. But Dane, I hate it. I'm not self loathing over it. It's a job that has to be done and I'm very good at it. It's certainly not how I would do things in business, which is why I can never be super rich. It sucks, but I've come to grips with it.

Don't get me wrong, someone renegs on a bill and doesn't have an incredibly hard luck story, I'm going to get paid. And I'm not going to think twice about it. But I won't deny that I am SOFT for people who have shitty, shitty, luck. Even when it's self created. To me it's more than a character flaw, it's a mental lapse of some kind. No one wants to be a loser.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Well, you're absolutely speaking in a language that I understand and comply with every day in my real life. But Dane, I hate it. I'm not self loathing over it. It's a job that has to be done and I'm very good at it. It's certainly not how I would do things in business, which is why I can never be super rich. It sucks, but I've come to grips with it.

You're a good dude. I think everyone knows that and those who don't should.

That's the most important part.

[Dead&Buried]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

It was so big, I couldn't even put it in 1 post due to board constrictions. There are all 23,872 characters of it.

The Washington Post is the best newspaper in the United States. IMO