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Washington Commanders owner reveals timeline for new stadium, addresses potential name change
By Matt Johnson,
2 hours ago
Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris replaced Daniel Snyder with the vision of changing everything with the disjointed franchise. While positive steps have already been taken to improve the on-field product, many questions remain about a new stadium and a potential team name change.
Harris, one of the richest NFL owners , certainly boasts the resources to make wholesale changes. However, it’s going to take significant time. Even with FedEx Field widely viewed as the worst NFL stadium and at times a risk to the safety of spectators and players, it’s still going to be around for a few more years.
Speaking to reporters this weekend, Harris said there’s “a lot of good stuff going on” towards a new stadium and the team has set out 20230 as the target date for a building to be in place.
“I think it’s a realistic target. There’s political things that need to occur. There’s land, zoning, a whole lot of other things and a lot of it is not within our controSo, there’s no way to predict a specific date, but I think that’s a reasonable target.”
Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris on the timeline for new stadium (via Ben Standig of The Athletic )
For now, the organization’s primary objective is to win games. The Commanders went 4-13 last season and haven’t recorded a winning record since 2015, with their last season of double-digit wins coming in 2012. So, the franchise’s objectives are on the on-field product right now, but they are aware of calls for a name change.
A new stadium isn’t the only thing fans are clamoring for. There is consensus that the team needs to ditch the name ‘Commanders’, choosing something that is both more popular and has ties to the region. While a segment of the fan base is hoping the franchise goes back to its original names, Harris made it clear that is never happening.
“We’ve been very clear. For obvious reasons, the old name can’t come back. But right now we’re focused on things that unify the team around our football team and unify the city around our football team. The first objective is we got to start winning football games.”
Washington Commanders owenr Josh Harris on changing the team back to its old name
However, Harris and the rest of the Commanders’ organization are very aware that the team’s name hasn’t caught on. He acknowledged that does matter for the team’s branding and its support from the community, but the one thing they won’t do is turn back the clock.
Moving forward, the organization is focused on creating a winning culture with a team the community wants to support and building solidarity around that. While a name change will likely come before a new stadium, neither should be expected anytime soon.
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