The annual listing of the most valuable sports teams in the world by Forbes magazine can best be described as a good reminder that the game on the field is only half the battle in this crazy, mixed-up sporting life.
The venerable business magazine released its 2012 list Monday, and sure enough, there were the Washington Redskins comfortably in the No. 5 slot, behind only Manchester United, Real Madrid, the Dallas Cowboys, and the New York Yankees.
Here's what the magazine had to say about the 'Skins.
The Redskins have made the playoffs only three times since Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999. That hasn't stopped fans from flocking to FedEx Field and making the Redskins the NFL's most profitable team in recent years.
The exact number of fans, of course, is constantly up for debate. But this bit, from the introduction to the list, hits the nail right on the head.
The future looks even brighter for NFL teams thanks to a new labor agreement, as well as a new round of TV contracts ... The NFL inked extensions to its TV deals with CBS, ESPN, Fox and NBC last year. The nine-year deals (ESPN is for eight years) start with the 2014 season and are worth $5 billion a year collectively, a 62% bump on the prior contracts. The average NFL team is worth $1.04 billion.
So just keep that in mind, fans, the next time you vow to stay away from FedEx Field and "never give Snyder another dime." All you're doing is taking crumbs from a very large pie.