NFL Owners News, Part I: Snyder Reflects On Redskins Ownership

Snyder Reflects Back On Last Nine Years As Redskins Owner

Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder, in a Q&A with David Elfin of the WASHINGTON TIMES, reflected on his first nine seasons as the team's owner and said "there are a bunch of things I wish I would have done differently." Snyder: "I've made plenty of mistakes, but I've learned from my mistakes as a good entrepreneur, a good CEO would do. I've matured. I wasn't patient enough in certain areas early on. I didn't understand the game the way I do now. I didn't understand the agents, the contractual relationship with the salary cap, the importance of the age of players. Now it's easy for me, second nature." Snyder added, "I was 34 when I bought the team. Now I'm approaching my mid-40s. There's something about just growing up. ... Now, hopefully, I'm becoming a much better owner." Snyder also "dismissed rumors that his other businesses are causing him to spend less time on the Redskins." Snyder said that Six Flags is "struggling" but that his Johnny Rockets restaurant chain and his Hollywood venture "are doing well." Snyder: "We're spending as we always have. We're in the midst of developing an indoor (practice) facility at Redskin Park. It will cost a lot of money. It will be ready for next season. We're the same Redskins. Nothing we're doing or not doing has anything to do (with the franchise's financial health). All of our (suites and club seats) renewed last year. Our waiting list is over 200,000" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 4/2). Snyder said moving the Redskins back to DC is an option "we haven't really thought about that much. We're real pleased with FedEx Field. And the fans like it. We've done a lot of surveys. We've done so many improvements. We've worked really hard on the experience. I talk to other owners and they tell me, 'Your stadium is awesome." Read a complete transcript of the Snyder Q & A (WASHINGTONTIMES.com, 4/2).