AP – The Washington Commanders’ home field now will be known as Northwest Stadium after the team announced an agreement Tuesday with Northwest Federal Credit Union.
The team announced an eight-year deal to rename the place that was known as FedEx Field from 1999 until several months ago. FedEx ended its naming-rights agreement in February, two years before it was set to expire, making it Commanders Field on a temporary basis.
This one is worth more on average than the $7.5 million annually FedEx paid for naming rights under the previous $205 million agreement, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because financial terms were not released.
“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,” managing owner Josh Harris said in a statement, referring to the Washington area that includes the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. “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.”
Washington’s first game at the newly renamed stadium is Sept. 15 against the New York Giants. The deal with Northwest Federal Credit Union also puts the company’s logo on the team’s practice jerseys.
“Northwest is thrilled to continue building on the great work we have achieved alongside the Commanders,” said Jeff Bentley, president and CEO of Northwest Federal Credit Union, which is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, not far from the team’s practice facility in Ashburn. “This expanded partnership was an amazing alignment of our values to enrich the local community.”
Harris said Sunday before the preseason finale against New England he was hopeful Washington would have a new stadium by 2030.
“It’s a target,” Harris said. “A lot of it’s not within our control, so there’s no way to predict a specific date, but I think that’s a reasonable target.”
The current lease at the stadium in Landover, Maryland, runs through 2027, and the new naming-rights deal does not preclude the team from opening a new one before the deal’s completion in 2032. Places in D.C., Maryland and Virginia are still being considered, including site of the old RFK Stadium roughly 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) east of the U.S. Capitol that would take the team back to where it played games from 1961-96 before moving to Landover.
Returning to RFK is a popular option but still requires a congressional bill to pass to return the land to the district. Harris does not expect anything on that front until after the election in November.
“We’re working super hard,” he said. “A lot of good stuff going on, and very positive, but not a lot to share.”
FILE – Fans watch the second half of an NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
