It was not a scheduled holiday, but when news broke that Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder reached an agreement to sell the team for $6 billion to a group led by Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris, there was a massive celebration in Washington DC.
And that was music to the ears of everyone in town including the staff at all-sports 106.7 The Fan.
“It was a holiday,” said host Grant Paulsen. “We had a station party at a brewery and hundreds of listeners came out on a Friday and partied with us all day long. People can’t get enough.”
“Our show started at 10 and there were people waiting in the parking lot when I showed up,” said host and former Redskins running back and kick returner Brian Mitchell. “It was a very festive occasion.”
While the agreement for Snyder to sell to the group that also includes basketball great Magic Johnson is non-binding, there is a palpable excitement in the nation’s capital and the surrounding region because there is now a feeling that the Commanders could finally be out of the malaise that has been the Snyder ownership era…
Or error as Commanders fans may want to refer to it.
“Anything involving Dan Snyder and involving this sale is significant in the eyes of people who have been waiting for 23 years and 24 football seasons for this guy to no longer be the owner of this team,” said Paulsen. “People thought that this day would never come. Nobody thought he would ever sell.”
There was excitement when it was first announced that Snyder and his wife had hired a bank to look into a possible sale. And now that a sale has been agreed to, the fans are in a frenzy and that is also good news for The Fan.
Business has picked up because the fans can’t get enough of the story.
“Without a doubt,” said program director Chris Kinard. “It really impacts every generation of fan, every level of interest casual to die-hard fans, fans that in recent years who have given up their fandom and even Washingtonians who have moved here from other cities. It really does catch interest of the entire sports world in DC and also just regular non-sports fans because it impacts where the stadium might end up down the road. It impacts the political landscape in the region in a lot of ways.”
Commanders (formerly Redskins) fans had been waiting patiently for more than two decades for the team to be a winner under Snyder’s ownership and that never happened. Add in the NFL investigations, Congressional inquiries, and allegations from more than 40 women of sexual harassment and a toxic work environment and you had a fan base that was up in arms and hoping for a change.
And they got it.
“People are very passionate about the change and what they want to see happen,” said Mitchell. “I got here in 1990 and I saw this team at the highest of highs and I’ve seen it at the lowest of lows. I sympathize a lot with (the fans).”
The excitement is not just coming from the fans but also the former players who once laid the foundation for the team’s glory years.
“There are a lot of former players who are now coming out of the woodworks to try and be a part of it and be around this football team more,” said Mitchell. “This group coming in at the best time where they want to see change and they’re going to give you a honeymoon period but you got to hit the ground running.”
From a sports talk standpoint, this story has had it all.
It’s been more than just a sports story because there have also been political and business aspects to it. And the station, including the hosts and producers, has done a great job keeping up with all of it.
“It’s one of those times that you’re a sports radio station but you’re covering politics, you’re covering Capitol Hill, you’re talking about land use and traffic issues and sexual harassment and the list goes on and on and on,” said Kinard. “It’s definitely driving listening. We have had an excellent last several months.
“What’s amazing about this story is, inevitably, there are updates every couple of days and you never know when they’re coming so it’s constant breaking news,” said Paulsen.
If you’ve ever seen the movie The Wizard of Oz, you know what happens when the “Wicked Witch of the East” is killed when Dorothy’s house falls on her.
That’s the feeling right now in DC with the Snyder era coming to an end.
“It’s about someone who everyone in this city cares about and has an opinion about and very few of their interests are for anything other than wanting to see Dan Snyder leave,” said Paulsen.
It’s a story that has captivated sports fans in Washington DC. The sale of the Washington Commanders has been huge news and it’s a story that has been good for business for 106.7 The Fan.
Peter Schwartz writes weekly sports radio features for Barrett Media. He has been involved in New York sports media for over three decades, and has worked for notable brands such as WFAN, CBS Sports Radio, WCBS 880, ESPN New York, and FOX News Radio. Peter has also served as play by play announcer for the New Yok Riptide, New York Dragons, New York Hitmen, Varsity Media and the Long Island Sports Network. You can find him on Twitter @SchwartzSports or email him at DragonsRadio@aol.com.
