AThe game of football is about more than two teams on the gridiron. The success of a team has to do with the training, coaching and overall leadership of the program. That is why owners like Dan Snyder make such a difference.
Dan Snyder is the owner of the Washington football franchise. He purchased the team in 1999, and he has adopted a proactive leadership style. This is evident in his success with players. In 20 years, 27 Washington players have appeared in 53 different Pro Bowls. Washington has had 13 draft picks on the All-Rookie Team, and nine players have been declared All-Pro. Snyder has had five Washington players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Beyond his team’s roster, Dan Snyder is keenly aware that the team environment matters. Even as pressure mounted to move the team, Snyder made the choice to grow the franchise’s roots deeper. Instead of moving locations in 2012, Snyder renovated the team’s training complex in Virginia. With this effort, Snyder’s team has enjoyed an upgraded weight room, renewed athletic training facilities, a cutting-edge locker room and more. Today, players can train comprehensively with a hydrotherapy station and an in-house cafeteria. Snyder also made sure that the media availability areas were improved.
Dan Snyder has also spent time and money on the team’s stadium. A team’s stadium helps define the franchise. In Washington’s case, Snyder has ensured that FedEx Field is fully equipped for fans and players. The stadium can seat 82,000 people, and Snyder has spent $100 million on new escalators, updated signage and an upgraded video display system. While he has spent money creating the best experience in the Owner’s Club for luxury guests, Snyder has also invested in practical issues like traffic flow that affect the experience of every fan who walks through the gate.
The reason for Snyder’s success is multifaceted. Dan Snyder is both a businessman and a passionate steward for football. His love of Washington is about more than his pocketbook. He grew up in the area, and he has been a fan of the franchise since he was a child. His love of the game and of Washington football has been a defining feature of his overall commitment to the program.
While love is a vital part of the game, being an owner also requires good business sense. Fortunately, Dan Snyder is an entrepreneurial success story. In 1985, Snyder founded his company Snyder Communications. When the company started, Snyder was the youngest CEO of a company being publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has grown steadily since its inception. It now has 12,000 employees in 77 offices. Its influence stretches to 17 countries, and it currently earns more than $1 billion annually. As a sign of its success, the company was acquired in 2000 for a staggering sum of $2.3 billion.
Dan Snyder’s business acumen is evident in other ways as well. He is the founder and chairman of inVentiv Health. He has an active role as a managing member of the board of Red Zebra Broadcasting. He has also continued to pursue other private business opportunities, and he is a keen investor and a sought-after business advisor.
With all this success, Dan Snyder still takes time to give back. He is renowned as one of the community’s most prominent philanthropists. He created the Washington Charitable Foundation, and he takes an active role in directing community programs. He likes to focus on areas of education and youth wellness. His organization frequently works with schools to create literacy and wellness workshops. The charity helps organize Loads of Love programs at local schools for at-risk kids.
Beyond his local community, Dan Snyder is also aware of broader issues. He has donated to numerous disaster relief programs, and he has taken an active role against racial inequity. During the coronavirus pandemic, he made FedEx Field available as a testing site, and he has made a point to donate to local food banks to help families in need during this difficult time. Other charitable endeavors have included the Children’s National Hospital, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Salute military appreciation club and more.
Learn more about Dan Snyder here: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/executives/SnydDa0.htm