Commanders deny withholding ticket revenue from NFL, call claims otherwise 'perjury'
Two days after a report alleged that the Washington Commanders withheld ticket revenue from the NFL, the franchise has responded.
After initially declining to make a public statement on the issue, the Commanders released a fiery retort Monday accusing anyone making the allegation of "perjury."
"There has been absolutely no withholding of ticket revenue at any time by the Commanders," the statement reads. "Those revenues are subject to independent audits by multiple parties. Anyone who offered testimony suggesting a withholding of revenue has committed perjury, plain and simple."
The statement was provided by a team spokesperson. Shortly after it was released, Lisa Banks — an attorney for former Commanders vice president of sales and customer service Jason Friedman — released a statement condemning the perjury accusation.
“The Washington Commanders just released a statement to members of the media. They defamed my client, Jason Friedman, who came forward at the request of the Congressional Oversight Committee and testified truthfully, with evidence,” Banks' statement reads. “Unfortunately, Mr. Friedman is unable to defend himself publicly due to contractual constraints that prevent him from speaking freely. He would be happy to recount his testimony if Dan Snyder and the Washington Commanders allow him to do so.”
What the Commanders are accused of
The NFL requires teams to provide 40% of ticket revenue after taxes and fees from each home game to be redistributed to visiting teams. Saturday's report from A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports cites two sources who claim that at least one person provided U.S. Congress with information that the Commanders didn't share the full 40%. Other details including a timeline of the alleged scheme were unclear from the report.
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform has been investigating the Commanders amid allegations of sexual harassment involving team owner Daniel Snyder. It reportedly expanded its investigation into allegations of financial impropriety last week.
According to the FOS report, the Commanders and the NFL were made aware of the allegations in recent weeks. The NFL has not publicly addressed the report.
The Commanders have been the subject of multiple NFL investigations in addition to the ongoing Congressional inquiry. If true, the alleged financial impropriety could spell significant trouble for Snyder and the franchise.
