More Dan Snyder hate from the post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/13/AR2008101302746.html

Pro Leagues Brace for Economy's Aftershocks

The economic crisis has executives in the country's major professional sports concerned about the potential long-term impact on their leagues and franchises if belt-tightening by consumers and businesses affects future ticket sales and advertising revenue.

In the most immediate sign that the country's economic problems are beginning to affect professional sports, NBA Commissioner David Stern said the league is laying off 9 percent of its domestic workforce, or about 80 employees, and that season ticket sales are down. Stern commented as NFL team owners gathered in St. Petersburg, Fla., for a two-day meeting that was to address the effects of the crisis on the country's richest sports league.

"This business has been thought to be recession-proof for a long time," New York Giants co-owner John Mara said. "But I don't think any of us has seen anything like this for a long, long time."

A good piece written about the down economy affecting the leagues overall. Relevant quotes for each commissioner, quotes from team owners/FO workers. Seems like an honest assessment of the professional sports market in these down times.

And then the Post hit job on Snyder, tucked into the last 2 paragraphs:

Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder would not comment for this story, but the stock price of one his companies, Six Flags Inc., was 44 cents per share at the close of yesterday's markets. It has dropped more than 80 percent in the past year. The Redskins remain an economic powerhouse, ranked first in the NFL in annual revenue ($327 million) and operating income ($58.1 million) and second in franchise value ($1.538 billion) in the latest Forbes estimates. Snyder declined to comment through a spokesman.

Well on one hand, the post should know by now that Snyder never talks to the media during the season and yes, Six Flags has nothing to do with professional sports.

To play devil's advocate here, people across the country are freaked out. Freaked out times mean freaked out numbers for news outlets across the globe = stir the pot.

Because our owner is involved in a fledgling enterprise, it's news.

They really don't act like an objective reporting outlet.

and not just in the realm of sports.

I don't see a problem with the article. The article was based on the tough economic times affecting pro sports (see the NBA) and they used the Six Flags plummeting stock as a sign of the times.

Six Flags' success affects how much money Snyder has to spend on his football team, so I don't have a problem with mentioning it in a sports piece. However, the current price of any stock is irrelevant because stocks took such a dive. Everyone knows not to look at the current state of things in the stock market and to wait for it to bounce back (yesterday helped!). It seems like some sensationalism by the Post.

You are just being touchy, the Post is talking about the local entertainment Giant, a.k.a. Redskins and also a little about the fact that the stock prices for another entertainment business owned by the same owner is down, pointing to the tough times. No need to bring out the Cavalry on this.