WASHINGTON (The Fan D.C.) -- Massive changes are coming to the Washington Redskins business operations with several top executives leaving the organization.
Brian Lafemina, the Redskins President of Business Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Steve Ziff, the Chief Marketing Officer, and Jake Bye, the Senior VP of Consumer Sales and Marketing, are all no longer with the organization, according to 106.7 The Fan Redskins reporter Craig Hoffman. Redskins Chief Commercial Officer Todd Kline is also no longer with the organization, a source told 106.7 The Fan's Chris Russell.
The hits keep on coming in recent weeks for the Redskins franchise, which most notably faced massive backlash for claiming linebacker Reuben Foster just days after his arrest on domestic violence charges. Montae Nicholson was arrested for assault and battery, and footage later emerged of the wild street fight in which the backup safety appeared to knock out another man with a punch. The team also was criticized for its rationale for not giving a tryout to Colin Kaepernick when desperately searching for a quarterback, and just this week endured the bizarre PR of cutting D.J. Swearinger for criticizing a coach and having the safety break the news on 106.7 The Fan. All this while the team lost five out of six games to plunge from playoff contention.
All four of the departing executives joined the Redskins organization during 2018. Lafemina joined in May 2018, lasting fewer than eight months on the job. Bye resigned from his position Friday, Hoffman reported. The manner of the other departures are not yet publicly known.
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder hired Lafemina to a newly created role to oversee all of the team's business operations that would "report directly" to Snyder.
“I am thrilled to welcome Brian to the Washington Redskins,” Snyder said at the time. “Brian has been one of the most highly regarded NFL executives amongst league ownership for many years because of his deep understanding of our business, his focus on partner relationships and his genuine belief that fans must be at the center of every decision we make. Brian is coming to Washington with fresh thinking and big ideas to implement, and I have full confidence that with Brian’s addition and with Bruce Allen continuing as team President, the Redskins’ success will continue to grow, both on and off the field.”
Lafemina said Snyder first approached him about joining the organization more than a year before he was hired.
"Working with Dan and Bruce to develop a new dynamic stadium that matches the vibrancy of this organization and its fan base will be an exciting challenge and one of our top priorities," Lafemina said in May.
Lafemina was hired to help the Redskins reshape their public facing image, by reducing concession prices for season ticket holders and killing off the mythical season-ticket waitlist.
"While we're talking about the fan experience, which is great, the main thing we want to do, we want to grab back the home-field advantage at FedEx Field," Lafemina told "The Sports Junkies" in August. "I've been to a lot of Redskins games over the last several years. I think that's something that maybe isn't as great as it can be."
Speaking with Hoffman in November, Lafemina praised Snyder's role in the organization.
"I think Dan’s playing the role that he needs to play, which is hiring people who hopefully are going to do a great job," Lafemina said. "I look to make sure that I live up my end of that bargain and the people that I’ve hired since I’ve been here. Giving us the resources and giving us his blessing to do the things that need to be done."
"I’ve said this before – nobody wants to win more than Dan Snyder. It's been great working with him and for him. And he’s given me everything I could ask for to get this job done," Lafemina said. "I think from that standpoint, I couldn’t ask for any more and I think our fans should recognize that as well. You can make it about me and the guys that I’ve hired all you want, but at the end of the day, the person who made that decision is the guy who owns the team."
By Ben Krimmel