Sunday’s embarrassing attendance at FedEx Field was not an aberration. The Washington Redskins had the biggest drop in attendance in the NFL in 2018, according to Austin Karp of SportsBusiness Daily.
The Redskins had a 19-percent drop in attendance. The second-biggest drop was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 9 percent.
Redskins have increasingly become frustrated with the direction of the franchise under owner Dan Snyder, team president Bruce Allen, and head coach Jay Gruden.
#FireBruceAllen has swept through DC Twitter with a large contingent contesting the constant losing and mishandling of team personnel under the current regime.
The Redskins are the only team in the NFL not to have an 11-win season Snyder took over ownership of the franchise in 1999.
The Redskins have had to reduce the capacity of FedEx Field to accommodate the lacking ticket sales through the years. However, this season may be the tipping point. FedEx Field’s location in Landover, Maryland is inconvenient to many of the Redskins’ faithful traveling from Washington, DC and Virginia. The nearest Metro station is three miles away.
With few public transportation options, the traffic is literally a standstill when the stadium is filled near or at capacity. Once inside, the concession prices are above league pricing. Some fans prefer the home experience over the headache of going to see football in person.
Through all the hindering, the decline in attendance comes back to the Redskins’ lack of winning and questionable decisions with its players and coaching staff are at the top of fans ire. And it all goes back to Allen and Snyder.
And all while there has been countless public relation debacles surrounding the team. Just this season, the Redskins claimed troubled linebacker Reuben Foster off waivers after he was released by the San Francisco 49ers stemming from a domestic violence arrest — his second within the season. When asked to explain the team’s senior vice president of personnel Doug Williams categorized Foster’s matters as “small potatoes.”
The team battled through numerous injuries, an eventual 24 players were placed on injured reserve, including their top two quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colt McCoy. Some fans were angered by the team’s decision to sign Mark Sanchez and Josh Johnson as replacements despite the perceived more capable Colin Kaepernick.
The team had injuries at every offensive position, yet waived the productive and popular running back Kapri Bibbs. They also let popular and player endorsed wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. get signed off their practice squad by the New Orleans Saints. Gruden later admitted he should have promoted Cobbs “sooner” before losing him to the Saints.
Washington released its best defensive player, DJ Swearinger, on Christmas Eve after he criticized defensive coordinator Greg Manusky following a Dec. 22 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Many fans sided with Swearinger and his critique of the coaching.
Then there was the four executives who were let go or forced to resign in what many speculate as a power struggle with Allen.
All the countless unpopular decisions have worn on fans and media. It was all showcased during their Week 17 shutout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. FedEx Field was packed with Eagles fans as Redskins fans no showed and/or sold their tickets. The stadium was described as 80 percent pro Eagles. The Redskins were booed as they entered the field in their own stadium.
After the game which clinched a playoff berth for the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles, their fans were seen celebrating and taking over FedEx Field in excitement.
With all the bad publicity surround the team in recent weeks, there is still no hope that things will change. Snyder will of course still be the owner, and his relationship with Allen seems unbreakable even if NFL execs reportedly think Allen is “literally, a joke.”
Therefore without some change to produce a glimmer of hope, Redskins fans will continue to rebel and ticket sales might not improve without a sea of opposing teams’ fans occupying the seats.
