The Marketing Philosophy Surronding the Redskins

Actually it was reported that he told the players that there would not be wholesale changes like everyone thinks. He expects them to perform better with better leadership from the coach and for them to have more commitment than they've ever had before.Well it's one of the first days of the off-season for us, I'm sure that they won't have all of the personnel decisions made anytime soon. I heard the presser as well, but it's also going to up to the new HC.

Heh heh. By May Snyder will have most fans buying truckloads of Skins garb, tickets and whatnot. There will be lots of hype coming from various bobble-heads.

It's called being a fan! If we didn't have the feeling that every year we have a chance to do something, then it would be pointless to watch or keep up with the team. The NFL is a league where things can turn around quick, so it's not unrealistic to think going into a new season that we have a chance to make the playoffs and then once in the playoffs, anything can happen.

First, I would like to say I can't believe out of that whole post, I made a typo in the title.

Second, It's not realistic. Each year we are enticed and cheated with this whole idea that we are only 1 WR or 1 DT away from making the playoffs. EACH AND EVERY YEAR. But, in contrast, at the end of the year, we don't have enough offensive lineman, we don't have any depth at key positions, our QB is sub par, our coach isn't good enough, and the list goes on.

We get enticed by this whole idea that we really are only one player away! Then they not only get one or two players, but they get 3 or 4. So, there is almost this thought, well we were only just one or two players away, and now they picked up several! There is no way it can fail!

Your original post describes our front office philosophy for assembling a team as opposed to marketing a team. Until the draft is fully embraced for building a quality core with depth, we will continue to be the kings of the offseason and a recurring joke in the regular season.

And this how it feeds right into the marketing kind of philosophy. As a PR major, I would love to represent a product that constantly under performs but our numbers are still king of the league. This is what the Redskins have. I understand a coach would never come out and say "This team is very poor, we need to take 2-3 years to build something," but we have this thing as fans as we always go "we can do this!" because of one offseason signing when there are plenty of problems and we have a poor record.

First and foremost, this is not some moan and groan post about Dan Snyder and the "evil" management that has held back the Redskins. This is more just a small discourse on the fans, media, and Redskins organization as whole constantly creating a aura, a brand if you will, of the "next season is THE season" mentality that crops up each and every year.

Suffice to say, the NFL does that anyways with each and every team; all NFL teams can usually compete against top tier teams and there is a small point differential in many games. But, with the redskins, there seems to be something more going on. The Redskins always seem to have this allure EVERY off-season that they are only one or two players away from breaking it big. I'm not saying fans, including myself, thought they would reach the Superbowl, but many of us were sure of at least a wild card bid several times out of the past 10 years.

To further this point (skipping some years for brevity):


2009: The addition of Albert Haynesworth will make our defense a top 5 force creating sacks and turnovers regardless of our poor depleted secondary without Shawn Springs, aging core, and lack of depth.


2006: Randel-El would help with the lack of talented WRs the 'Skins had and Archuleta would create pressure, and thus, more turnovers, and Andre Carter would finally generate that pass rush everyone had been looking for. None of these things happened (except the last one - finally)


2004: The core free agent class that is still mostly present today: two defensive Lineman in Phillips and Griffen with a solid CB of Shawn Springs and two additions through trade, Clinton Portis and Mark Brunell. This would not only make the Defense much better, but the offense would start scoring. One of those were correct.


2002: Linebacker upgrade! With Lavar, Jeremiah, and Jessie, our defense would be spectacular regardless of how horrible the Defensive Line was and wouldn't be able to keep lineman off of them.
After all of these free agent excursions, I was pumped for the season to begin because it seemed like the Redskin's time had finally come. Each season, coaches, fans, and players made it seem like it was only a player or two away, and some even said this. There was, for the past 10 years, an always seemingly teetering feel to the Redskins, as just one player might knock them over into a playoff bound streak.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and we all know now that this is not true. Many of these free agent pick ups were at the expense of completely ignoring vital positions. This in turn, made those free agent pick ups seem worthless; how is Jeremiah trotter really suppose to plug the hole with those scrubs in front of him? How is Mark Brunell suppose to pass for more than 20 yards with that protection?

And somehow, the smoke and mirrors continued to even this season. A complete lack of depth on many positions, a beat up RB, old O-Line, poor QB for the west coast, non-explosive WRs, poor secondary which injuries only made worse, and bad coaching were all things that we could see coming in. Yet, many of us, and I reiterate myself included, thought this was going to be a playoff year.

"We are going to build on last year and win another game or two to get there."

"In the system for the 2nd straight year, JC will be able to do what he needs to do to have a better season."

"Albert Haynesworth is going to make last year's defense excel; it will be dominate."

We all know, after this vicious 10 year cycle, what the Redskins have to do: take a 3+ year plan and slowly build that depth, talent, and athleticism that really needs to be at every position through more silent free agents and drafts - and not expect to win. The question more is, will we, as fans, accept this fact, and not buy into every free agent signing or new head coach that will be coming? Or, will the constant marketing machine of the Redskins continue to entice us each new season with players that won't help and publicity that is superficial?


Skins aren't the only one playing this game. The Detroit Lions do it just about every frigging year, as well as any other mediocre franchise in the NFL. New players, new coaches, even slightly new logos(Detroit, Arizona) supposed to get fans excited. Thing is the whole thing is about marketing and getting the butts in the seats, the game actually takes second stage to all the glitz and perpetual advertising going on with the small screens all over the place now.

I would say this "marketing philosophy" is pretty much what goes on all around the league. Teams gotta sell boxes, tickets, and merchandise. I've never heard a team come out and say you know what, "We're going to suck and suck hard for the next few years. Hope you'll still come out and watch the games and buy jerseys."

I also think that management has for years quite literally believed we were just a player or two or even a coach away from football immortality. It's one thing they don't get slammed for enough really. Believing too much in what team we had.

I would say this "marketing philosophy" is pretty much what goes on all around the league. Teams gotta sell boxes, tickets, and merchandise. I've never heard a team come out and say you know what, "We're going to suck and suck hard for the next few years. Hope you'll still come out and watch the games and buy jerseys."

Ted Leonsis sort of did that and everyone says why can't Snyder be more like Leonsis. But you really can't compare the NHL and the NFL and especially not the Capitals and the Redskins. Not in terms of the fan base and expectations.

It's called being a fan! If we didn't have the feeling that every year we have a chance to do something, then it would be pointless to watch or keep up with the team. The NFL is a league where things can turn around quick, so it's not unrealistic to think going into a new season that we have a chance to make the playoffs and then once in the playoffs, anything can happen.

Well said. I'll always enter a season with hope and optimism. I'll never pick against the Skins in my predictions no matter how badly things look. I'm a true fan, not someone who only supports the team when they're winning. Anything can happen any Sunday, so I won't be one of those who whine and say they'll lose, only to be a liar on Monday when celebrating with everyone who stood by the team.

"With each hiring, things were supposed to different. Things were going to function better. The owner was going to be less involved. The offense was going to be more efficient . . . Under each new coach, the Redskins were going to sit on top of the world."

Wilbon said this in his post today about the new hiring, and this exactly reinforces what I'm trying to get across. People already talking in the new thread about the new HC like it's playoff bound next year. Each year, we get this new guy, we are told it's different, and then DS does what he really wants to do the whole time.

Each time, we are told, that has given more control the coach, isn't involved, etc. But, as we all know, it isn't exactly true. I just hope this time changes, but I just hope everyone gives him 3 years, REGARDLESS of his record, before calling for change.