Five Ways Dan Snyder Can Save His Washington NFL Franchise

The summer heat isn’t the only thing that has been brutal in the Washington DC area.

The treatment of its professional football team is right up there as well.

July has been a nightmare for Dan Snyder and his organization, as the team seems to get bad news almost on a daily basis. Over the last month, the team has been threatened by corporate sponsors, abandoned by minority owners and now sits nameless. Not to mention, a national report that points to systemic sexism within the building.

Needless to say, the organization has hit rock bottom. And it’s now the time for Snyder to save the team he loves.

If he is slow to react, or neglects the issue altogether, he threatens to lose even more of the fanbase, as a once hardened and dedicated group struggles to attach themselves to the team. The name has changed, the team has struggled, and now their corporate values are in question. What is there to attach to?

Snyder now needs to take tangible, active steps to reimagine his team and make it one worthy of national respect.

I have five proposals on how he should do this, take a look below:

Speak to the Public:

It has been well documented that Snyder has an aversion to speaking in public. Whether he is shy, uncomfortable, or afraid to engage with the media, it is very rare to see him stand up in front of a podium. Especially when the team is struggling.

He needs to get over this. As the owner of a multi-billion dollar corporation, he has the means to hire public speaking consultants and PR managers to develop his skills. Over the last two weeks, his team has lost its rights to an 88 year-old team nickname and has been engulfed in a nationally covered scandal. His response? Two canned written statements that can be found in PR Writing 101. No personal epithets, no sight of the owner.

It would go a long way if Snyder stood in front of a microphone and simply took it on the chin. He should humbly acknowledge his wrongs, and acknowledge he is at a loss on what to do. He should then reiterate he will do everything in his power to do things the "right way".

This would humanize the owner, and show that he is vulnerable like the rest of us. People like a good comeback story, and are much more willing to support someone who is earnest and honest. At this point, that's not how he is perceived.

Hire the Right People:

One thing that has plagued the Snyder era in DC, is his propensity to hire close friends and commit to them for long periods of time. We saw this with former General Manager Vinny Cerrato and most recently with Team President Bruce Allen.

This has created a crooked system in DC where nepotism and cronyism is rewarded, as opposed to achievements based on merit. And as we have seen in the recent report from the Washington Post, there has been a blurred line between friendship and work, which has bled into immoral decisions.

Snyder needs to reevaluate his staff and hire people with marketing experience and knowledge of reinvigorating a fanbase. At this point the fanbase is dwindling, and there isn't much to be proud of. The team appeared to have found their man when they hired Brian Lafemina as President of Business Operations in May of 2018, but they let him go before his vision came to fruition. He needs to find someone similar and commit to that person long term. Improve the fan experience, and make games more fun.

Snyder could also improve his image if he made a more concerted effort to elevate women, African Americans, and even Native Americans to high-ranking positions. Not as a symbolic gesture, but as acknowledgement of their achievements. The league lacks diversity in central leadership, and it would be nice to see the team forward-thinking for once.

To Snyder’s credit, he has taken the step of hiring former NBC Sports Washington Reporter, Julie Donaldson and promoted her to Senior Vice President of Media. An excellent choice due to her authenticity and quality of work. But this should only be the beginning.

Be Transparent:

This can go for almost any issue within the organization, but I'm specifically referring to the name process, and where they stand with it.

I know legalities may limit on what he can share openly, but this goes back to the public speaking component. Get out there and give your fans an update. Something as simple as, "We know you are anxiously waiting for a name. We have a few in mind, but the legal process is prohibiting us from sharing. But we are listening to your suggestions and we acknowledge you" would go a long way.

It would make your fanbase (customers) feel like they are part of the decision process and will increase investment. Something that simple could really endear Snyder to the fans. It will show that he's trying. And in the "COVID World" of social distancing, this could even be a simple recorded message posted on the team's webpage.

Provide an Emphasis on Fan Engagement:

As part of the rebrand, Snyder can make it known that he wants the fanbase to be part of the process. Nothing increases engagement and investment, more than stakeholder feedback.

If Snyder empowers his social media team to reach out to the fanbase and gather data on the fan experience, it will make the community much more involved.

This can be done with Twitter polls, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and surveys to gather data on both game-day and year round experiences. At this point, it's a missed opportunity to hear from his fanbase. The information he learns could really improve the fan experience and assure that their voice is valued. At this point in time, there appears to be a disconnect between fan expectations and what the owner desires.

Recommit to the Franchise:

Considering all that has transpired over the last few years, it would go a long way if Snyder publicly stated he is recommitting to the franchise.

This would entail building an organization based on core values, expanding the human resources department, and ensuring they are complying with ethical business practices.

It would also include being transparent about the efforts of the Black Engagement Network (B.E.N) and his charitable foundation. Who has been promoted? How is social equity being built? And what are the long-term goals of the program? Promoting this work not only brings awareness to the issue, but proves that the organization isn’t lip-service.

Finally, and probably most important of all, he needs to find worthy minority owners who genuinely care about the well-being of the team. This would be through a thorough vetting process and actively seeking forward-thinking people that are willing to think outside of the box. He clearly needs support in the decision making process, and his minority investors should be knowledgeable and invested in the best interests of the team.

In Summary:

I understand that some of these proposals are wishful thinking, and Snyder has a long way to restore his public image. But if he can put these proposals into action, and sustain them, it would go a long way into restoring credibility to this fanbase, and to the nation as a whole.

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George Carmi is an editor/contributing writer to FullPressCoverage.com or @FPC_Redskins. He is a native of the DC metropolitan area and is an avid fan of DC Sports. A former journalism major at the University of Maryland, his focus is now in public education. His earliest memories consist of Darrell Green, "The Posse" and Super Bowl XXVI. Follow him on twitter @Gcarmi21