Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder "fired approximately 25 of
the team's front-office employees" Friday, "mostly in the
stadium operations, public relations and marketing
departments," according to Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON
POST, who wrote that the firings "come two days" after
Snyder closed on the $800M purchase of the team. Sources
said that "about 15 members of the approximately 60-member
stadium staff were dismissed, including stadium manager Jeff
Klein." Snyder had previously indicated that he was
"dissatisfied with the traffic flow" to Jack Kent Cooke
Stadium, parking lot access and fan amenities at the
stadium. Meanwhile, Redskins PR Dir Mike McCall and "all
but one member, Chris Helein," of his staff were released,
with former Redskins PR staffer John Konoza replacing
McCall. Former Snyder Communications staffer Casey Husband
was also named to the Redskins PR staff. Sources said that
"most of the fired employees were given severance packages
ranging from four to six months' pay" (WASHINGTON POST,
7/17). Maske cites sources who say that "more changes could
take place soon." Maske: "Next could come moves on the
football side of the operation" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/19).
A NEW GUARD: In Baltimore, Vito Stellino criticized the
personnel moves and wrote that Snyder had Redskins Exec VP
David Cope and exec Karl Swanson "hand out the pink slips,"
with the employees "told to pack up and leave Friday night."
Stellino: "If this is a sneak preview of Snyder's operating
style, the Redskins are likely to be a team in turmoil"
(Balt. SUN, 7/18). In Phoenix, Steve Schoenfeld wrote that
Snyder "is known for his ruthlessness" (AZ REPUBLIC, 7/18).
NAME IN THE NEWS? Sources of the SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL's John Lombardo said that a naming rights deal for
Jack Kent Cooke Stadium "will come sooner rather than
later," with FedEx "as one of a handful of companies
interested" in a deal (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/19 issue).
