When the Washington Commanders began training camp last month, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin visited. Youngkin mingled with fans and spoke to the media. His message was clear: Virginia was the best place to live, work, raise a family and build a new NFL stadium for the Commanders.
On Wednesday, it was Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s turn to visit Ashburn for training camp. Moore talked to fans, took pictures and also spoke to the media.
His message: The Commanders should remain in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
“This is a perfect marriage,” Moore said. “The Commanders are an incredibly important and vital part of not just our economy but part of our culture. And so we know this is going to be a championship team going forward; it’s exciting about the new vision that new ownership has in coming on board. And I think it really does correlate and correspond well to how we’re thinking about things in the state of Maryland. So, we are excited for them to be able to build and grow and win in the state of Maryland.”
Before the sale was completed, minority owner Magic Johnson met with Moore sometime in the spring, although it was unclear what was discussed. Moore noted how he’s spoken to the new ownership group.
“Yes, so we’ve already been having sensitive conversations with the new ownership group,” Moore said. “And I think there is a shared vision that isn’t just about creating a winner on the field, but it’s about how we are creating winners off the field. How we are thinking about driving entrepreneurial activity, creating new businesses, making sure there’s transportation assets that can easily experience for people to be able to go to the games and get back from the games. So we’ve already been having sensitive conversations, and I’m excited about where they are, where they’re going and that we have an excited shared future together.”
Governor #2 campaigns to get (or keep) the Commanders stadium.
Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland stops by camp: “We want the Commanders in Prince George’s County.” pic.twitter.com/priHc0VyKT
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 9, 2023
Moore stated that Maryland was unified in its belief that the “Commanders belong in Prince George’s County.”
Moore again stated: “We want the Commanders in Prince George’s County.”
Is there a timeline? Moore said Maryland is moving now.
Youngkin made his pitch. Moore made his pitch. Will leaders from Washington, D.C., be next to show up for training camp and make their pitch?
Moore made his visit wearing the No. 99 jersey of defensive end Chase Young — a native of P.G. County. You have to credit Moore; he visited Ravens camp this week in Owings Mills in a Lamar Jackson jersey.