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April 5 (UPI) — The Washington Commanders on Monday denied allegations made by a former employee to Congress that the National Football League team has withheld visiting team ticket revenue from the NFL.
“There has been absolutely no withholding of ticket revenue at any time by the Commanders,” a team spokesman said in a statement. “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.”
Lisa Banks, an attorney for Jason Friedman, the former employee, tweeted Monday that the Commanders’ statement was “baseless and defamatory” toward her client.
Banks said that Friedman came forward at the request of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform “and testified truthfully, with evidence. Unfortunately, Mr. Friedman is unable to defend himself publicly due to contractual constraints that prevent him from speaking freely.”
The team’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, responded in a statement: “The Commanders did not reference Mr. Friedman — or anyone else — by name in their statement. However, if Mr. Friedman believes he has been defamed, he should bring a defamation suit. The Commanders will gladly accept service and vigorously defend any such claim.”
Friedman reportedly testified that the team violated NFL policy that says teams are required to deposit 40% of their ticket revenue into a visiting team fund as part of the NFL’s revenue sharing.
Friedman had worked with the team for 24 years as vice president of sales and customer service, according to his LinkedIn profile.
The alleged ticket scandal is the latest crisis for the football team based in the nation’s capitol that officially changed its name in February. A week after the name change was announced, the team said it hired an independent investigator regarding allegations of sexual harassment by owner Dan Snyder and the team’s hostile workplace.
Former cheerleader and marketing manager Tiffani Johnston testified in February that her invitation to a team dinner was an “orchestration by [her boss] and Dan Snyder to put me in a compromising, sexual situation.” Johnston said she was later told to keep quiet about the incident.
That probe is being led by Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney who also was a chair of the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that Snyder has not been involved in “day to day” operations of the team.
