Tag: fedex field

Commanders have a new stadium name

The former FedEx Field is now Northwest Stadium.

The Washington Commanders have a new name again — this time for their stadium.

On Tuesday, the Commanders announced a partnership with Northwest Federal Credit Union (NWFCU) announced a multi-year, exclusive naming-rights agreement that will change the name of Commanders Field to Northwest Stadium.

Washington’s home stadium opened in 1997 as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, but in 1999, it was renamed FedEx Field after Daniel Snyder bought the franchise from the Cooke family. Snyder reached a 27-year deal with FedEx that paid the team an average of $7.6 million annually. FedEx terminated the agreement earlier this year with two years remaining.

The new agreement runs through the 2031 season.

The Commanders remain in pursuit of a new stadium, with three jurisdictions (Maryland, Washington, D.C, & Virginia) all in contention. The old RFK Stadium site in D.C. is a top priority, but several hurdles still exist.

Washington managing partner Josh Harris released the following statement:

Northwest Federal Credit Union has been an integral part of this community for generations and we could not be prouder to partner with an organization as committed to the DMV as we are. As we continue to work toward our goal of building the Commanders into an elite franchise that consistently competes for championships, we are excited to welcome our team and fans to Northwest Stadium and look forward to creating incredible memories together on the field and in the communities we serve.

Northwest Federal Credit Union President & CEO Jeff Bentley also released a statement.

Northwest is thrilled to continue building on the great work we have achieved alongside the Commanders. With a combined history of nearly 170 years in the D.C. metro area, this expanded partnership was an amazing alignment of our values to enrich the local community. It is an honor to be able to welcome everyone to ‘Northwest Stadium’ and introduce the inspiring initiatives that this collaboration represents. Together, we look forward to ensuring that Northwest Stadium is an impactful place where we rally together over our common love of football, giving back to the community, and creating memorable experiences that last a lifetime.

The Commanders open the 2024 regular season on Sept. 8 at Tampa Bay. Washington’s first home game at Northwest Stadium will be on Sept. 15 against the New York Giants.

Report: Josh Harris outbid Jeff Bezos for the Commanders

A new report indicates Bezos wanted the Commanders, but Josh Harris outbid him.

When the news broke in November 2022 that former Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder hired Bank of America to explore a sale of the team he owned since 1999, many believed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos would be the next owner.

However, some believed Snyder would never sell to Bezos, one of the wealthiest people in the world, because he owned The Washington Post. Snyder’s history with The Post was complicated as it broke several stories on his alleged misconduct that eventually led him to put the team up for sale.

Snyder sold the team to an ownership group led by Josh Harris, a Washington, D.C., area native who also owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils. The $6.05 billion sale was complicated by the number of minority investors in Harris’ group. It was the highest price ever paid for a U.S. pro sports franchise.

It was later revealed that Snyder didn’t prevent Bezos from bidding on the team. Most assumed Bezos just didn’t get involved in the bidding.

A new report from Martha Muir and Anna Nicolaou of the Financial Times indicates that not only did Bezos get involved, but he was actually outbid by Harris and his group.

Of all Bezos’s thwarted Washington initiatives, however, the one that may hit closest to home is his failed pursuit of the Commanders. A life-long NFL fan, Bezos had repeatedly signalled his wish to enter the elite club of football team owners.

Bezos went so far as to put an ownership group together with music mogul Jay-Z to acquire the Commanders, but was outbid by fellow billionaire Josh Harris, co-founder of the private equity firm Apollo.

At the time, some US media outlets reported that the team’s then owner, Dan Snyder, blocked Bezos’s bid because of his ownership of the Post — which almost single-handedly forced Snyder to sell, after it revealed the team allegedly tolerated pervasive sexual harassment and employee abuse.

Here’s the key part from the report:

People briefed on the process, however, insist Bezos was simply outbid by Harris, who acquired the team for $6bn. “I don’t think Snyder would have not sold to them if Jeff came in with a bid of $7 billion,” said a person involved in the process.

Bezos is worth over $200 billion, so his simply being outbid is strange. Perhaps he wasn’t going to allow Snyder to raise the price and force him to bid against himself for a damaged brand in which Bezos would need to spend millions more due to Snyder’s previous mismanagement.

The Harris Ownership Group has already paid $75 million toward improvements to the former FedEx Field and Washington’s team headquarters in Ashburn, Va., that Snyder ignored for years.

If Bezos wants in the NFL, there’s a good chance the Seattle Seahawks will be available in the next several years and that could be a more attractive opportunity for Bezos.

Harris and his group have proven to be the right owners for the Washington franchise at the right time.

Claims that Commanders owner Josh Harris is ‘super-duper cheap’ appear inaccurate

What have learned about Josh Harris so far? He’s not cheap and he’s putting money back into the team to build a long-term winner.

Fifteen months ago, Josh Harris was positioning himself to become the next majority owner of the Washington Commanders.

At that time, Jason Bishop of “The Sports Junkies” on 106.7 The Fan claimed he had a source who did not think so highly of how Harris was running the Philadelphia 76ers. Bishop continued, “I’ve got a well-placed source — and I won’t say who — that said, ‘Josh Harris, if he is the one who gets the team, is super-duper cheap.’”

Also, on March 22, 2023, we wrote about how Kevin Sheehan had a guest, Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico, state on his program that “Josh Harris is a notorious value investor. He has been a runner-up in some of the biggest sports team sales in history because he is not someone who raises his price to get an asset.”

Now that 15 months have passed, what have we learned?

Novy-Williams was not saying Harris is cheap. He was saying that Harris would not lose money by ignoring the purchasing price he set in his mind. By the way, what is wrong with that? Why should someone spend more money to only purchase a franchise, when they are going to need to use much money for wise investments involving the business operations?

As to Harris being “cheap” and not spending money in ways to help the 76ers, how has Harris invested in and managed the Commanders in his first year as owner?

When Harris took the reins, the Ashburn facility was absurdly behind most other NFL franchises’ facilities. When the NFLPA grades for the Commanders’ facilities, locker room, training room and stadium came back as abysmal, Harris boldly responded, “I am not an F-minus guy.”

The Commanders announced plans to spend upward of $75 million to upgrade their playing stadium and Ashburn team facilities.

Even the unused turf practice field in Ashburn, which had sat idle for years, was removed in recent weeks.

Perhaps Bishop’s source regarding how Harris is managing and investing in the 76ers was mistaken?

Harris is clearly investing much more into the franchise than did the previous owner, Daniel Snyder. Harris is addressing the many issues he inherited. He is shelling out huge amounts of money to improve the resources for the Commanders.

Josh Harris is not cheap.

Negotiations for Commanders’ potential return to D.C. remain stuck

There has been progress in the talks between the Wetzel family and the Commanders.

Earlier this year, there was excitement about the Washington Commanders and a potential return to the nation’s capital. The House of Representatives passed a bill granting the District a 99-year lease for the land where RFK Stadium sits.

The bill followed the recent goodwill between the organization and the city, which began when new owner Josh Harris purchased the team from Daniel Snyder last summer. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser went on record multiple times stating that the Commanders’ next stadium should be in D.C.

Harris and the team have options. Maryland — where the team currently plays its home games — wants to keep the team. In Virginia, where the team’s headquarters is located, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the state is a “great place” for a new Commanders stadium.

While the Commanders haven’t tipped their hand on where they want to build a new stadium, the District would appear to be the preferred choice. Harris and minority owners Mitch Rales and Mark Ein all grew up in the Washington area, going to games at RFK Stadium as kids.

So, if the House approved this with rare bipartisan support, why isn’t this moving along?

As of now, it remains stuck in the Senate. Montana Sen. Steve Daines, the ranking member of the National Parks Subcommittee, has said he will continue to hold up the bill unless the Commanders find a way to honor the legacy of Walter “Blackie” Wetzel, who created the logo for the team’s former name that was retired in 2020.

According to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports, Daines, the Commanders and the Wetzel family are continuing to work out a deal. Daines represents Montana, where the Wetzel family is from, and the Blackfeet tribe he was a member of is also based in Montana.

“We have been very pleased with the conversations we’ve had with the Commanders,” Ryan Wetzel, grandson of the late Wetzel, told Perez and Front Office Sports. “The three of us — meaning the Commanders, Daines’s office, and the Wetzel family — have made headway, and some steps being made that will please the D.C. community and the fan base.”

In his latest report on the story, Perez noted that one Senate aide said the bill is “unlikely to see any more action until after Thanksgiving.”

That’s good and bad. The Commanders have no known timeframe to make a deal, though the lease at Commanders Field is set to expire in 2027. The quicker this is resolved, the sooner Harris and his group can begin making plans for the team’s new home. The extra time also gives all three sides more chances to strike a deal in which everyone feels like they win.

That’s rare — almost as rare as any bill finding bipartisan support at all levels of the government.

Wetzel’s grandson made it clear that it’s not about the name; it’s about the logo his grandfather created, which was a “profile of pride for Native American communities.”

Jayden Daniels spent part of Saturday at Commanders Field

Jayden Daniels was at Commanders Field for a U.S. men’s soccer game vs. Colombia.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Washington Nationals game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Nationals Park.

But before Sunday’s first pitch, Daniels was elsewhere in DMV, making his first public appearance on the field where he will play his home games for the Commanders this fall.

The United States men’s soccer team played Colombia on Saturday at Commanders Field, the former FedEx Field, where Daniels was on the sidelines.

Here is a look at Daniels on the sideline, who appears to be having a good time in the first picture and talking to U.S. men’s soccer coach Gregg Berhalter in the second photo.

The U.S. men lost the game 5-1, but the Daniels’ photo was a popular one with over 1,000 likes and counting on X.

Daniels will be back in action in the District on Sunday and in Ashburn this week for the team’s mandatory minicamp

How safe is Commanders Field for fans compared to the rest of the NFL?

We’ve found a category where Washington’s stadium isn’t ranked last.

The Washington Commanders’ stadium has a new name in 2024. FedEx Field is no longer. Unfortunately, the Commanders will remain at their Landover stadium for at least the next three seasons.

The former FedEx Field is now Commanders Field.

FedEx Field has been anything but a home-field advantage for Washington over the years. The team stunk, and fans hated the owner and finally stopped coming, often selling their tickets to fans of other teams.

Then there are the issues — oh, so many issues. From the railing collapse in  the 2021 season to the water issues to all of the injuries to prominent players, Washington’s home stadium has been anything but pleasant. In most stadium rankings or polls, FedEx Field finishes last.

We’ve finally found a ranking where Commanders Field isn’t dead last.

According to BetMassachusetts, Washington’s home stadium is tied at No. 20 for the NFL’s safest stadium.

The rankings are broken down into four categories, and we will show you where Commanders Field ranks in each:

  • Violent Crime: 48.71 (21st)
  • Total Crime Index: 3 (T-18th)
  • Fan Behavior Rank: 17
  • Crime Grade: D- (T-12th)

Who had the safest stadium? The New England Patriots.

Who was last? The Detroit Lions.

As for Washington’s NFC East rivals: The Giants ranked fourth, the Cowboys were sixth and the Eagles 19th.

Can the Commanders, with new head coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels, have a home-field advantage again?

Poll indicates D.C. is most popular pick for new Commanders stadium

A new poll indicates fans want Commanders’ new stadium in D.C.

If you’re a fan of the Washington NFL franchise and were alive in the 1980s and early 1990s, there was no greater sight than the bleachers at a home game at RFK Stadium.

During some of the biggest games in franchise history, the stadium shook.

The team moved to FedEx Field in suburban Maryland in 1997, and the franchise hasn’t had a home-field advantage since.

Former owner Dan Snyder had been trying to build a new stadium for years. However, no one in D.C. would consider helping Snyder. That changed when he sold the team to Josh Harris and his partners last summer.

Now, the Commanders have three localities vying to be Washington’s new home: D.C. (at the RFK site), Maryland and Virginia. Some fans, including younger fans or those living outside of the DMV, aren’t as invested in where the new stadium will be. They’re more focused on just seeing a winning team.

However, according to a new poll from The Washington Post, Washington-area residents want the Commanders back in the District.

Here’s a screenshot of the Post’s poll results:

According to the poll, 51% of Washington-area residents believe the stadium should be in Washington, 17% in Maryland and 15% in Virginia. The rest had no preference.

Among Commanders fans, 63% want the stadium in Washington.

The Commanders are obligated to play at the current stadium until 2027 but can stay longer. There has been good news regarding the RFK site recently, as the D.C. RFK Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act passed through the House in February. The next step is the United States Senate, but one Senator has said he will oppose the bill unless the Commanders honor the team’s former logo.

Regardless of what happens over the next few months, the people have spoken: They want the team to return to D.C. and it certainly appears as if Harris and his partners want the stadium in the District, too.

U.S. Senator demands Commanders honor Native American family

A U.S. Senator speaks on the Commanders honoring the franchise’s past regarding a return to RFK.

RFK, the former home of the then-Washington Redskins, was in the news again Wednesday.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee met regarding the administration of RFK being transferred to the city (Washington) from the National Park Service.

However, Republican Steve Daines of Montana spoke up, saying he represents his constituents in Montana: “I’m here representing a voice that is not being listened to, and that is the Blackfeet Tribe in Montana and the Wetzel family. I serve them…”

The U.S. House has approved the transfer, which would provide the city the go-ahead to redevelop the area where RFK stands deteriorating presently. The District mayor has, in the past, declared she wished for affordable housing and retail shops in the area. However, then she was opposed to the former owner Daniel Snyder and the name “Redskins.”

Daines appeared at the hearing with two posters dating back to the Redskins history with Walter “Blackie” Wetzel and Robert F. Kennedy and the Redskins old logo, which was actually suggested by Wetzel and approved by the franchise, resulting in their iconic helmet worn from the 1972 through 2019 seasons.

The shorthand of the entire presentation by Senator Daines was that he was actually not demanding the Washington Commanders reach back and take on again the name “Redskins.”

He is, however, demanding the Commanders bring back the old historic logo. Daines threatens that if they do not, he will block the RFK site bill.

Prior to Wednesday’s subcommittee meeting, the Commanders released this statement, “We have spoken directly with the Wetzel family and are working collaboratively to recognize Blackie Wetzel for his contributions in creating our former logo,” a Commanders spokesperson said in a statement.

Commanders fans have no reason to get excited. Nothing here points to the Harris Ownership Group making a huge leap back to the team being named the “Redskins.”

However, perhaps there will be some sort of utilization of the old logo in limited circumstances.

In 2020, in the wake of the George Floyd death, former minority owner Fred Smith began an attack upon majority owner Daniel Snyder threatening Snyder should drop the “Redskins” name. Shortly afterward, Federal Express, Nike, and Pepsi withdrew their support from Snyder, and the name “Redskins” was dropped.

Commanders owner Josh Harris on team’s facilities: ‘I’m not an F-minus guy’

Josh Harris talks about Washington’s poor grades from the NFLPA survey and the all of the work the team is doing.

When the NFLPA released its first report cards in 2023, the goal was to provide anonymous feedback from players on all 32 NFL teams. Some of the items graded in the report cards were team facilities, medical care, coaches and treatment of the players’ families.

The Washington Commanders didn’t grade well in the first or second year of the report cards. Whether it was outdated team headquarters in Ashburn, Va., the locker rooms or the training staff, the team scored poorly in many categories.

In some good news, Washington made a big jump in the ownership category this year, scoring a “B.”

Majority owner Josh Harris has pledged improvements of over $75 million to FedEx Field and the team’s facilities since taking over last July.

At the NFL owners meetings this week, Harris spoke with JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington about the report cards and was asked specifically about some of the Commanders’ grades. Harris offered a terrific answer.

“I’m not an F-minus guy,” Harris said, referring to some of the grades the team received. “I didn’t even know you could get an F-minus. Obviously, we’ve jumped all over that; first of all, that report is based on interviews that occurred right around the ownership change. It’s clearly something we’re focused on. In fact, (GM) Adam (Peters) and (head coach) Dan (Quinn) had to leave the NFL meetings briefly to go have a discussion with the architects. We’re trying to make a lot of changes there quickly. The NFL player community is a small community; the NFL coaching community is a small community. We want to be a place that everyone says, ‘That’s a great place to be.’ And therefore, we need to upgrade that facility, and we are upgrading that facility.”

Harris continued to discuss the topic, noting that there is only so much that can be done before training camp but the team is working on every aspect to make it a player-friendly environment.

Offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, who re-signed with the team last week, told the media about the changes underway at Commanders Park, even noting the team was getting new carpet in the locker room.

It’s a good time for the Commanders. There is excitement with a new owner, GM and coach. Washington will soon have a new franchise quarterback as it’s expected to select one second overall in next month’s draft.

Commanders make a key off-field hire

The Commanders make a key hire to the business side of the organization.

Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris continues to remake the franchise he purchased in July. Harris’ first hire occurred in October when he hired Eugene Shen as Washington’s new senior vice president of football strategy.

Harris made his most significant hire in January, naming Adam Peters as the new general manager. From there, Harris and Peters hired Dan Quinn as head coach.

Now, Harris is making moves on the business side. After FedEx announced it was backing out of the final two years of its naming-rights partnership with the Commanders, it left the former FedEx Field without a sponsor.

On Monday, Washington announced the hiring of Jim Rushton as the new chief partnerships officer. Rushton comes from the Los Angeles Chargers and will help in Washington’s search for a new stadium naming-rights partner. Rushton will oversee all aspects of sponsorship and help shape the franchise’s revenue generation strategy.

“Jim is a dynamic sports and entertainment sales and marketing leader with a unique ability to combine vision, strategy, and execution to deliver quantifiable revenue growth,” team president Jason Wright said.

“He brings both creative and analytical skills to his work and is an inclusive leader who will be able to make an immediate impact in this role.”

Rushton will report directly to Wright.