Wizards owner dismisses fans' social media criticisms

It's no great surprise that Washington Wizards fans are upset - their team hasn't topped the 50-win plateau since 1979.

Great players have come and gone, but the team remains deeply mediocre. This year, for example, the Wizards boast two potential All-Stars in John Wall and Bradley Beal, but they hold the same record as the Philadelphia 76ers.

Frustration within the fanbase is boiling over, and almost every night there are complaints about the team on social media, but that falls upon deaf ears on the part of team owner Ted Leonsis.

"I think that there’s a small group of people who exhibit their angst on social media," Leonsis told Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post before the season.

"It’s why I never listen to somebody who says, ‘I think I’m speaking for the fan base here.’ You can’t speak for the fan base. You can speak for yourself, right? So let’s see how we do."

Social media criticism is one thing, but it's impossible to ignore the bottom line. Attendance is once again atrocious as Verizon Center is only 77.5 percent sold out on average - the NBA's fourth-worst mark.

Based on photos from the few fans in attendance, the problems might even be far worse than that harrowing figure suggests:

Not checking social media is one thing, but reality can't be ignored for much longer.