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John Keim, ESPN editor-in-chief
ASHBURN, Va. – The Washington Commanders have found a new name for their stadium. The team has signed an eight-year agreement with Northwest Federal Credit Union to rename their stadium, which will now be called Northwest Stadium.
The stadium had been known as FedEx Field since 1999, but the company informed the Commanders before the end of last season that it was ending its relationship two years before its contract expired. Due to a change in ownership, FedEx had the right to end the relationship before the end of the season.
The new deal runs through the 2031 season; financial terms were not announced, but one source said the average exceeds the $205 million FedEx initially paid for the deal, or an average of about $7.5 million per year.
Washington is looking for a new stadium and could open one before the end of the deal. The new deal does not include an option for Northwest to obtain naming rights to a future stadium. Nor would it prevent the team from opening one in 2030, which is the target season, team officials said.
Commanders are still considering options in three jurisdictions: Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Washington will play its home opener on September 15 against the New York Giants.
Owner Josh Harris, who bought the team a year ago from Dan Snyder, and his ownership group have invested about $75 million in stadium improvements this offseason, from food service to how quickly fans can get through the gates to fixing various problems at a stadium that opened in 1997 and generally ranks among the worst in the NFL.
Elevate helped negotiate the deal between Northwest and the commanders.
In a statement, Harris said, “As we continue to work toward our goal of making the Commanders an elite franchise that consistently competes for championships, we are thrilled 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.”
Jeff Bentley, president and CEO of Northwest Federal Credit Union, said in a statement, “We look forward to ensuring Northwest Stadium is an impactful place where we come together around our shared love of football, giving back to the community and creating memorable experiences that last a lifetime.”
