The fall of the Washington Commanders under former owner Daniel Snyder has been well documented. Snyder inherited a top-five NFL franchise in 1999 with a waiting list for season tickets.
In recent years, Washington, which once led the league in attendance, was dead last. Snyder had run off a large portion of what was once one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports.
Fortunately for Washington fans, Snyder is gone. The NFL approved Snyder’s sale of the Commanders to a group led by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion last month.
With Snyder gone, fans are coming back in droves. Last Saturday, an estimated 10,000 fans showed up in Ashburn for a training camp practice, reminiscent of the old days. And Washington’s Week 1 game against Arizona is trending toward selling out.
Therefore, business is looking up for the Commanders.
According to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, Washington was last in the NFL in tickets sold in 2022, generating $64 million in net revenue, which ranked 28th in the NFL. Yet, Harris’ group paid a record price for a pro sports franchise. That not only shows the value of an NFL franchise but also Washington’s potential.