In case you missed it, Ted Leonsis has been in the news lately. The Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards appear to be on the move. After decades in the nation’s capital of Washington D.C, the Capitals and Wizards are poised to move to Northern Virginia. The move, spurred by Leonsis and Monumental Sports & Entertainment, has received feverish backlash from the opposition.
NBC 4 Washington wrote on the announced move for the Caps and Wizards:
Virginia officials and the owner of the Washington Wizards and Capitals announced a $2 billion plan Wednesday to partner on a deal that would would send the teams across the Potomac River to play in Alexandria instead of D.C. The deal would transform a growing Northern Virginia neighborhood and send shockwaves through downtown D.C., which is accustomed to hosting tens of thousands of fans but has struggled with crime.
The move has led many to believe it’s unsavory at best. Taking the teams away from Washington, D.C., could lead to the city taking a significant hit. Its natives are unhappy. One of those natives is ESPN’s Clinton Yates.
Appearing on ‘Around the Horn‘ on Thursday night, Yates blasted Leonsis and the proposed move from D.C. to Northern Virginia. Yates did not hold back and, in fact, brought his father into view as he sat back with him while he competed on the episode.
Thursday from @AroundtheHorn: there’s something that Theodore Leonsis will never understand about what it means to be a sports fan from the District. So, I brought along someone who taught me what the meaning of community really means. pic.twitter.com/C5RbB1RxVF
— Clinton Yates (@clintonyates) December 14, 2023
“This week, in my hometown, Monumental Sports principal owner Theodore Leonsis announced that he wanted to move the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards outside of D.C. from Capital One Arena to Alexandria, Virginia,” Yates said. “The man sitting next is my father, Earl. He’s the one that took me to games and taught me how to be a sports fan.
“And let me tell you something. As a family that grew up in D.C. and understands what that sport, basketball, means to the city? This is not just villainous, as Tony Kornheiser said,” Yates said as he leaned forward.
“It’s despicable,” Yates emphatically declared. “You’re gonna have to look yourself in the face every day, Theodore, when people start walking away from your team. And you’re going to know exactly why they did it. Not cool, never has been, never will be.”
Yates then brought his father, Earl, on-screen with him as the two celebrated Yates’ victory on the show. But obviously, that moment was much more significant for him. And the threatened move will mean a lot to many people in D.C. who feel exactly like him.
