Remember that scene in the Dark Knight Rises when Bane gives Batman the epic speech about darkness before their big fight?
“Oh, you think darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, molded by it.”
That’s how a lot of Washington fans should feel now that the team has announced that no spectators will be allowed at home games this year, and many other franchises are expected to follow suit. While it is a major bummer for those fans who routinely did show up to FedEx Field week in and week out to sport their burgundy & gold yelling loudly for their favorite team — of which there were many — the announcement of no fans in Washington may help the WFT more than any other team in the NFL. It may sound like a joke, but there is some truth in the fact that they are used to a lack of fan support, so the change won’t be anything new.
On the contrary, a lack of fans could actually go quite far in helping Washington, simply by neutralizing the playing field. Over the past couple of years, a growing trend has emerged as opposing teams’ fanbases flock to D.C. in hoards to support their team as they play Washington, which usually created a tough playing environment for the home team, who rarely had the majority of fan support in the stadium. Now, with a true neutral site, we may start to see some benefits from that.
We are not by any means trying to say that it’s good news that fans will not be allowed at Washington games, but simply point out a silver lining. As 2020 rolls on and we all continue to try and adapt to the circumstances around us, it’s important to try and find the small victories that can carry us through into the future. A fanless NFL experience will be unlike anything we’ve ever see before, but if everyone comes together (metaphorically, of course) we may be able to make it work going forward.
[vertical-gallery id=39271]