Rick Snider: Leonsis as dual owner would help everyone
By: Rick Snider
Examiner Sports Columnist
November 29, 2009
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| Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, left, has been, overall, the perfect owner, writes Examiner columnist Rick Snider. So the idea of Leonsis owning the Wizards too, is exciting. (Getty Images) |
The thought of Ted Leonsis owning the Washington Wizards is exciting.
Leonsis has proven the town's best pro-sports owner over his 10-year stewardship of the Washington Capitals. The game experience for fans is superior. The team's following has grown steadily. Leonsis is very involved without crossing the line with his front office.
Overall, Leonsis has been the perfect owner.
Leonsis already has a 44 percent interest in the Wizards and Verizon Center. Consolidating two teams and a venue like the late Abe Pollin once did is a smart move. Leonsis indicated he'll pursue the Wizards, so this should be an easy transition.
Certainly, Washington sports fans will be better off with Leonsis as the Wizards owner than a newcomer. Leonsis sees fans as customers, not suckers. He doesn't gouge people relentlessly. Leonsis has shown through the Caps that it's OK to just enjoy the sport because that's what the game is supposed to be -- fun. It's not another marketing tool to get fans to spend money.
How will Caps fans react to "Uncle Teddy," who has become their patron saint? Caps fans always felt like second-class citizens in the local sports community. A bunch of counter culturists rejecting traditional American sports.
But Leonsis showed hockey is cool. It's a lot like football. With the Redskins' popularity dropping faster than the president's, fans are discovering a great alternative that actually wins.
How will Caps fans feel over sharing their owner? I suspect some jealousy. They'll fear Leonsis will get sucked into the more glamorous sport. If nothing else, he'll no longer be focused solely on the Caps.
Leonsis is a remarkable entrepreneur who won't have trouble juggling two teams. With Verizon Center as a commonality, there's some overlap anyway.
Maybe the Caps will better share some of the top dates with Leonsis in control. Perhaps the ice won't be like a 7-Eleven slushee. And who knows, Leonsis might be able to invest even more money in the Caps given a better share of Verizon's revenues.
Conversely, would the Wiz get the worse end of the common ownership -- a new boss who doesn't love the game as much as Pollin? Well, it would be hard for anyone to love the Wiz as much as Pollin, but Leonsis never short-changes anything. The upside is Leonsis will be a little more objective over personnel moves than Pollin, whose loyalty sometimes meant staying too long with non-performing front office and players.
Ultimately, Washington sports fans would benefit from Leonsis gaining two franchises. As some fans say, it's a shame he can't get the town's football team, too.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail rsnider@washingtonexaminer.com.
