Redskins Lay Off Employees At Redskins Park, FedEx Field

The Redskins "laid off at least 20 employees at Redskins Park this week and an undetermined number at FedEx Field," according to sources cited by Jason La Canfora of the WASHINGTON POST. Outgoing employees indicated that cuts included "at least one team vice president and members of the legal, marketing, information technology, public relations, cheerleading, game-day operations and Redskins Television staffs." Sources added that "two members of the football operations staff were let go." Sources said that Redskins Dir of Player Development John Jefferson "was informed of his release Wednesday," and the team also released Redskins Salary Cap Analyst Jim Halsell. The Redskins declined to comment. Employees who were cut Wednesday said that Redskins COO Mitch Gershman "told them the team was shedding about 30 employees because of financial difficulties caused by the economy and a decrease in revenue." An outgoing employee said, "Mitch said that the revenue from tickets and season tickets was not where it needs to be." La Canfora notes as a "condition of their benefits and severance packages, outgoing employees must sign an agreement precluding them from speaking publicly about the organization or the conditions of their departure" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/9).

MORE LAYOFFS: In Indianapolis, Steve Ballard reports the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. "recently had staff layoffs: 15 people as part of the closing of" the Brickyard Crossing Inn and "about a dozen at the track itself and three at" the IRL (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 1/9). Meanwhile, the WWE has reduced its staff by 10% across all areas of its operation as the company aims to reduce its cost base by $20M in ‘09. The company said the reduction will result in an annual savings of about $8M in compensation and benefit costs (WWE). CNBC's Darren Rovell said of the WWE layoffs, “This is part of broader cuts in the sports and entertainment world” (“Squawk on the Street,” CNBC, 1/9).