This week, Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) decided to abandon a budget proposal that aimed to provide $350 million in incentives for the NFL’s Washington Commanders to construct a new stadium within Virginia.
The multitude of setbacks, including this one, increases the chances that the football team will continue to call FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, their home even after the initial contract expires in 2027.
Setbacks & scandals delay Commanders in Virginia
In anticipation of a future team relocation, the Commanders have recently acquired 200 acres of land in Woodbridge, Virginia. Additionally, the team is currently evaluating potential locations in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Support for the project has significantly declined due to continuous team scandals. In March, an employee testified about the team’s involvement in financial misconduct, such as deceiving season ticket holders and creating two different financial reports to conceal funds meant for the NFL revenue-sharing pool.
On June 15, Dan Snyder, the owner of the Commanders, contributed to the escalating scandals surrounding his team by declining to testify in front of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. His lawyers informed Congress about his decision, which pertained to the upcoming hearing concerning allegations made by 15 women who claim to have experienced verbal abuse and sexual harassment while employed by the team.
In a recent statement, Jack Del Rio, the defensive coordinator of Washington, described the Jan. 6 insurrection riot as a minor altercation when juxtaposed with the social justice protests that arose in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.
Hope for a Virginia relocation dwindles
In the quest to bring the team to Old Dominion, it was Virginia State Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) who spearheaded the initiative. However, Del Rio’s remark regarding insurrection proved to be the final trigger. In a recent article published by The Washington Post, he stated:
“There exists an overwhelming number of opinions from numerous individuals who strongly advocate for delaying this matter, Saslaw.”
On June 9, Saslaw made a surprising announcement, coinciding with seven D.C. Council members expressing their opposition to an NFL stadium project at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium site, urging instead for the area to be utilized for the benefit of D.C. residents in alternative ways.
FedEx Field is past its prime
Area lawmakers and team officials maintain hope, undeterred by the continuous stream of bombshells and revelations surrounding the team. They are optimistic that future opportunities may arise to revive the legislative efforts for a new stadium.
There is a significant amount of uncertainty surrounding those efforts, but one thing that appears to be quite certain is that FedEx Field should no longer exist.
Having undergone a resurrection in 1997, this old stadium has encountered a series of problems in recent times. One notable incident occurred during a home game against the Chargers on September 12, 2021, when a pipe burst, drenching every fan and attendee within the designated splash zone. While some claimed the liquid was sewage, a tweet from FedEx Field clarified that it was actually rainwater, and all affected fans were promptly relocated to complimentary suites.
After the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Jan. 2, 2022, Jalen Hurts, the quarterback for the Eagles, started giving high-fives to fans while heading towards the locker room. Unexpectedly, the railing of the stadium gave way, resulting in a few fans leaning over it to fall approximately six feet onto the field below. Hurts later shared his thoughts on the incident.
“I find great relief in knowing that everyone is out of harm’s way. The events that unfolded were quite extraordinary and posed a significant threat. It’s truly a blessing that everyone seems to have recovered from the incident. As an avid supporter of the Eagles, I absolutely adore the passionate fan base. It brings me immense joy.”
According to a team official, the railing was not designed to support such a significant amount of weight.
Commanders keep losing allies
The number of cases against the Commanders and FedEx Field continues to increase, causing onlookers to be less willing to offer assistance.
Part of an editorial released by the Washington Post on June 18 asserts that Snyder has demonstrated his disqualification from receiving taxpayer assistance for his stadium.
Not only is Mr. Snyder far from being an exemplary team owner, but the reasons put forth to justify allocating public funds to assist billionaire NFL owners in constructing new stadiums, which only serve to boost their already significant profits, are feeble. Furthermore, it makes even less sense to allocate public funds to a private company that is plagued by scandal, particularly when the prospects for a beneficial return on investment for the surrounding community are uncertain at best.
The 82,000-person stadium was recently excluded from FIFA’s official list of venues for the 2026 World Cup.
At the very least, FedEx Field is guaranteed to host the Commanders until 2027. Nevertheless, the continuous setbacks and controversies may ultimately indicate that this run-down stadium and its struggling team are indeed an ideal match.
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