Northwest Stadium
![]() The stadium as FedExField in 2017 | |
Location of Commanders Field in Landover, Maryland Location in the United States | |
Former names | Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (1997–1999) Redskins Stadium (1999) FedExField (1999–2024) |
---|---|
Address | 1600 FedEx Way[1] |
Location | Landover, Maryland, U.S. |
Coordinates | 38°54′28″N 76°51′52″W / 38.90778°N 76.86444°W |
Public transit | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Owner | Washington Commanders (Josh Harris) |
Operator | Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (Non-NFL events) |
Executive suites | 257 |
Capacity | 65,000 (2023–present)
Former capacity: |
Surface | Bermuda grass |
Construction | |
Broke ground | March 13, 1996[8] |
Opened | September 14, 1997 |
Renovated | 2011, 2012 |
Expanded | 1998, 2000, 2005 |
Construction cost | $251 million ($476 million in 2023 dollars[9]) |
Architect | HOK Sport |
Structural engineer | Bliss & Nyitray, Inc |
Services engineer | M-E Engineers, Inc.[10] |
General contractor | Clark Construction[11] |
Main contractors | Driggs Construction Co.[12] |
Tenants | |
Washington Commanders (NFL) 1997–present | |
Website | |
commanders.com/stadium |
Commanders Field is an American football stadium located in Landover, Maryland, 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Washington, D.C. The stadium is the home of the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). From 2004 until 2010, it had the NFL's largest seating capacity: over 91,000. By 2023, the capacity had been reduced to about 65,000.[13][14]
The stadium is owned and operated by the Commanders, with non-NFL events managed by team owner Josh Harris's company, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE). The stadium opened in 1997 as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. FedEx Corporation purchased the naming rights in 1999, and the building was renamed FedExField. In 2024, FedEx relinquished those rights and the franchise temporarily applied the team name to the stadium while seeking a new sponsor.[15]
History
20th century
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In the 1990s, Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke was seeking to build a new stadium that would allow him to make more money than did Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. In 1994, Cooke sought to build next to Laurel Park Racecourse along Whiskey Bottom and Brock Bridge roads, but lack of parking facilities and public support prompted him to discard the idea.[16] Instead, the stadium was built in Landover, Maryland, on Wilson Dairy Farm. A special exit, Exit 16 (Arena Drive), was built from Interstate 495, also known as the Capital Beltway. Cooke named the site Raljon after his sons Ralph and John, registering Raljon with the United States Postal Service for the stadium campus's specific 20785-4534 ZIP+4 Code, and going to some lengths to require media to use Raljon in datelines from the stadium.
Cooke died months before the opening of the new stadium, which his sons named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. It opened on September 14, 1997, when the Redskins hosted the Arizona Cardinals.[17] In May 1999, Daniel Snyder bought the team and the stadium, briefly renaming the building Redskins Stadium. Later that year, he sold naming rights to FedEx for 27 years at an average of $7.6 million per year. The stadium was officially renamed FedExField on November 21, 1999.[18] The Raljon dateline requirements and placename were phased out by Snyder by the 1999 preseason, and the team has listed the stadium as residing in Landover since then.[19]
21st century
Initially, the waiting list for season tickets was reportedly more than 160,000 names long. The Washington Post reported in 2009 that ticket office employees improperly sold tickets directly to ticket brokers for several years before the practice was discovered that year.[20]
The team has not had a game blacked out on local television since 1972 when home-game broadcasts were banned outright because it does not count premium-club-level seating when calculating sellouts. The stadium's sellout streak, excluding premium seating, dates to 1965, eight years before the new blackout rules were implemented.[21]
In 2002, the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office helped provide security at FedExField during Redskins games.[22] Security was also reinforced in October 2002 during the D.C. sniper attacks.[23]
From 2004 to 2010, Washington's fans set the NFL regular-season home paid attendance records. In 2005 the team drew a record 716,998 fans overall. The December 30, 2007, 27–6 win against the Dallas Cowboys was the most-watched game in franchise history, with 90,910 fans in the stands to see Washington clinch a playoff spot.[24] The team led the NFL in attendance in 2000 and every year between 2002 and 2008.[25] On January 8, 2000, the Redskins defeated the Detroit Lions 27–13 in the first NFL playoff game at FedExField.
In 2023, the stadium and team were acquired by a group headed by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion.[26] The following year, Harris's company Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) took over operating non-NFL events at the stadium.[27] In February 2024, FedEx announced that it had opted out of its naming rights contract before its expiration in 2026.[28] The franchise temporarily applied the team name to the stadium while seeking a new sponsor.[29]
Design
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The stadium has five levels: the Lower Level, the Club Level, the Upper Level, and the Lower and Upper Suite Levels. The Lower Level is named the Bobby Mitchell Level in honor of Bobby Mitchell, a Redskins running back from 1962 to 1968 and later a team executive.[30][31] The Club Level is named the Joe Gibbs Club Level in honor of Joe Gibbs, the team's head coach from 1981 to 1992 and again from 2004 to 2007. The Upper Level is called the Pete Rozelle Upper Level in honor of Pete Rozelle, the commissioner of the National Football League from 1969 to 1989. The stadium has 257 suites as of 2023[update].
Notable events
College football
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Commanders Field hosts the annual Prince George's Classic college football game, which is a game usually between two historically black universities. It has hosted several other college football games, including the 1998 game between Notre Dame and Navy, the 2004 Black Coaches Association Classic between USC and the Virginia Tech, and the 112th Army–Navy Game.
Soccer
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/FedEx_Field_soccer_field_view_2023-07-30.jpg/170px-FedEx_Field_soccer_field_view_2023-07-30.jpg)
Commanders Field has been used for some international and exhibition soccer matches. On March 28, 2015, Argentina defeated El Salvador at the stadium before a crowd of 53,978.[32] On June 7, 2014, the stadium hosted a doubleheader. In the first game, Spain, the 2010 World Cup winner, defeated El Salvador 2–0 in a warm-up match in front of a crowd of 53,267. In the second game, D.C. United played Columbus Crew to a scoreless draw in the first regular-season game United hosted at the stadium.
It hosted four preliminary matches and one quarterfinal doubleheader in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. On July 1, 1999, the United States women's national soccer team defeated Germany's women's national team 3–2 in the FIFA Women's World Cup 1999 quarterfinals.
The stadium has also hosted a number of club soccer exhibition matches. During the July 2005 World Series of Football, D.C. United hosted Chelsea F.C. there; the 31,473 spectators represented D.C. United's third-highest ever home attendance. On August 9, 2009, D.C. United hosted another international friendly against Real Madrid at FedExField. On July 30, 2011, Manchester United ended its 2011 summer tour with a 2–1 win over F.C. Barcelona at FedExField in front of 81,807 fans. This represented the largest soccer crowd in D.C.-area history.[citation needed] FedExField was used on July 29, 2014, in the International Champions Cup as Manchester United played Inter Milan; the game ended in a 0-0 draw and the shootout was won by Manchester United 5-3.[33] On July 26, 2017, Manchester United played F.C. Barcelona again at the FedExField as part of International Champions Cup. This time the Catalan club secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United in front of 80,162 fans, with Neymar's last goal for F.C. Barcelona being the difference.[34] On August 4, 2018, FedExField hosted a 2018 International Champions Cup match between Real Madrid and Juventus. Real Madrid won 3-1. On July 23, 2019, FedExField also hosted a match between Real Madrid and Arsenal. The match ended 2-2, and Real Madrid won the penalty shootout.
Commanders Field was being considered as a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue and was up against 16 other venues around the United States, including M&T Bank Stadium in nearby Baltimore; with the final list of 10 stadiums to be decided in 2022. However on April 22, 2022, the stadium dropped out of the bidding process, the organizers having decided instead to merge their bid with Baltimore and move the region's games to M&T Bank Stadium, though fan activities would still have been staged on the National Mall. The Baltimore bid was ultimately rejected in the final round, making it the first time since 2002 that a World Cup match was not played in the capital city.[35][36]
Rugby union
Commanders Field hosted a rugby union match between New Zealand and the USA Eagles on October 23, 2021.[37] This was the first time a rugby union game has been hosted at FedExField. The Eagles lost 104–14 in front of a crowd of 39,720 people.[38]
Concerts
The stadium has hosted several major concerts, including the HFStival and George Strait Country Music Festival in 2000, the Rolling Stones with the Strokes in 2002 and with Ghost Hounds in 2019, Metallica with Deftones, Linkin Park, and Limp Bizkit in 2003, Bruce Springsteen in 2003, Kenny Chesney in 2005, 2011, 2012, and 2013. U2 with Muse, and Paul McCartney with Thievery Corporation in 2009.
In 2017, U2 returned to the stadium with The Lumineers. Guns N' Roses and Alice in Chains played at the stadium in 2016, Coldplay played in 2017 and 2022, Taylor Swift performed two nights in 2018 as part of her Reputation Stadium Tour with Camila Cabello and Charli XCX. Beyoncé and Jay Z performed two nights as part of the On the Run II Tour with Chloe x Halle and DJ Khaled. Childish Gambino and Lil Wayne performed in 2019 as part of the Broccoli City Festival. The Weeknd performed at the stadium on July 30, 2022, as part of the After Hours til Dawn Stadium Tour. Ed Sheeran performed at the stadium on June 24, 2023, as part of his Mathematics Tour. Beyoncé performed two nights in 2023 as part of the Renaissance World Tour.
Criticisms
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/FedEx_Field_covered_upper_level_seats.jpg/220px-FedEx_Field_covered_upper_level_seats.jpg)
Many fans feel Commanders Field does not compare favorably with RFK Stadium, the team's previous stadium, being widely regarded as one of the worst current NFL stadiums, if not the worst current NFL stadium.[39][40] Commanders Field was rated as the worst stadium in the NFL in a 2022 poll.[41]
In January 2007, The Washington Post reported that former team owner Daniel Snyder met with Washington, D.C., officials and former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe about building a new stadium.[42][43] In 2005, eight years after the stadium opened, 1,488 premium "dream seats" in three rows were added in front of what was the first row when the stadium was built.[44] Because some of these seats are too low to see over the players on the sideline, occupants of these seats stand in order to see the game.[45]
In 2011 and 2012, 14,000 seats were removed from the upper deck due to lack of demand.[6][46] In June 2015, The Washington Post reported that another 4,000 to 6,000 seats in the upper decks were removed in 2015.[47]
The stadium is about a mile away from the Morgan Boulevard station, the nearest Metro station to the stadium. Furthermore, federal regulations prohibit publicly paid shuttle service from public transit agencies when a private service is available. Since private service is not cost-effective, fans taking public transportation must walk to and from the stadium.[48]
In 2021, three water leaks occurred near to fans.[49] In 2022, as Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was walking down the away team tunnel, a barrier separating seated fans from the away team tunnel gave way, causing several people to fall.[50] According to several witnesses, team staff did not show care for or call for medical attention for the fans who fell, but yelled "get the F off the field". The team released a statement responding to the criticisms, claiming the team did provide medical evaluations on site, but one fan denied that they did. Hurts was the only one who asked if they were okay.[51] Hurts later wrote an open letter about the incident to the NFL, asking that action be taken to prevent an incident like this from recurring.[52]
References
- ^ "FedExField Stadium Guide". Washington Commanders. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ Paras, Matthew (September 22, 2022). "Commanders reduce FedEx Field capacity again". The Washington Times. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ Hruby, Patrick (May 17, 2023). "Josh Harris Expects the Commanders Will Make a Lot More Money Simply Because He's Not Dan Snyder". Washingtonian. Archived from the original on August 27, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "Washington fans didn't show up at FedEx Field. What will it take to lure them back?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "FedExField" (PDF). 2015 Washington Redskins Media Guide. Washington Redskins. August 28, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- ^ a b c Jones, Mike (April 2, 2012). "Redskins to Remove Another 4,000 Seats From FedEx Field". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Steinberg, Dan; Jones, Mike (July 14, 2011). "Redskins Say They Were Unable to Sell Season Tickets for Seats Removed from FedEx Field". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
- ^ "March 13, 1996: Construction Begins on JKC Stadium". Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ Illuminating Engineering Society (1998). Lighting design & application: LD & A. Vol. 28. Illuminating Engineering Society. p. 39. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
- ^ "FedEx Field". Featured Projects. Clark Construction Co. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011.
- ^ "Where a Stadium Soon Will Grow". The Washington Times. March 23, 1996. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
- ^ Allen, Scott; Hahn, Fritz (September 7, 2024). "The complete guide to FedEx Field". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ Fortier, Sam (September 10, 2023). "At FedEx Field, full parking lots, full seats and full hearts". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Winston (February 28, 2024). "FedEx drops naming rights of Commanders' stadium 2 years before contract expires". WJLA.
- ^ Richards, Katherine (August 11, 1994). "Clergymen protest stadium: Traffic would hurt churches, they say". The Baltimore Sun. ProQuest 2289246850.
Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke is seeking a special exception that would allow a $160 million National Football League stadium in an industrial zone east of Laurel in Anne Arundel County. The Redskins are also hoping for variances from county codes on matters such as parking and landscaping for the 78,600-seat stadium.
- ^ Vick, Karl; Heath, Thomas (September 15, 1997). "After Bumpy Beginning, a Can't-Be-Beat Ending". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Heath, Thomas (November 22, 1999). "Absolutely, Positively It's Now FedEx Field". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Goodbye to Raljon, and good riddance". The Baltimore Sun. August 20, 1999. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
- ^ Grimaldi, James V. Washington Redskins Sold Brokers Tickets Despite Wait List Archived March 13, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. The Washington Post, September 1, 2009.
- ^ McKenna, Dave (July 6, 2007). "Scarce Tactics: Just How Much Demand is There for Skins Tickets These Days?". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ Larman, Larry E. (2023). "Chapter 21: The Premonition". Tales of The Abnormalities: Untold True Stories of Police Agencies with Paranormal Activity and Strange Oddities. Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania: Page Publishing, Incorporated. p. 188. ISBN 9798887939025.
I was assigned to security at the Washington Redskins games at FedEx Field. One evening, I was preparing to report to FedEx Field
- ^ Kang, Hyungwon (October 2002). "POLICE HELICOPTER PATROLS OVER FEDEX FIELD PRIOR TO REDSKINS VS NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAME, 2002-10-13 (photo)". Reuters.
A police helicopter patrols over the Washington Redskins' FedEx Field prior to Redskins vs. New Orleans Saints NFL game in Landover, Maryland, October 13, 2002. Security has been reinforced as police continue to search for the gunman who has now killed eight people in the Washington area.
- ^ FedExField: New Single-Game Attendance Mark
- ^ "2008 NFL Attendance Data". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki. "Josh Harris preaches patience, discusses plans for Commanders". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ Muret, Don (February 5, 2024). "HBSE takes over booking FedEx Field events". VenuesNow.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki; Maske, Mark (February 28, 2024). "FedEx ends naming-rights deal for Commanders' stadium two years early". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Kronzer, Patrick; Venezky, Emily (February 28, 2024). "FedEx drops name off Commanders' Landover stadium, ending its naming rights agreement early". WTOP News. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Washington Redskins To Retire The Late Bobby Mitchell's Jersey". Washington Football Team. June 20, 2020. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
- ^ Fortier, Sam (June 24, 2020). "Redskins to remove George Preston Marshall's name from all team material". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
- ^ "No Messi, but Argentina is still too much for El Salvador" Archived March 31, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Man United defeats Inter in Shootout Archived August 6, 2014, at archive.today ICC.com July 30, 2014, Retrieved July 30, 2014
- ^ Barcelona 1 - 0 Manchester United Archived July 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, July 26, 2017
- ^ "World Cup 2026: What are the host cities in USA, Mexico and Canada going to be?". June 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 12, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
- ^ Keating, Steve (November 23, 2021). "FIFA wraps up inspection of potential 2026 World Cup venues". Reuters. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "USA Eagles confirm match at FedEx Field". July 26, 2021. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ Lourim, Jake (October 23, 2021). "All Blacks give U.S. rugby fans a thrill — and U.S. rugby a boost — in 1874 Cup". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "FedEx Field ranked as worst NFL stadium". WUSA (TV). August 27, 2022. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- ^ "Fan-driven stadium guide considers FedEx Field the worst in almost everything". Commanders Wire. USA Today. April 16, 2023. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- ^ Hand, Mark (August 24, 2022). "FedEx Field, Home Of The Priciest Beer, Ranked Worst Stadium In NFL". Patch. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022 – via MSN Sports.
- ^ Nobles, Ryan (August 27, 2014). "McAuliffe and Snyder have met to discuss Redskins stadium". Decision Virginia. WWBT. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ^ Fisher, Marc (January 11, 2008). "Next 2 D.C. Stadium Deals Might Smell a Bit Sweeter". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ Heath, Thomas (August 20, 2005). "Redskins' Revenue Reaches $300 Million". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
- ^ "Fedex Dream Seats question". Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ^ Biggs, Brad (July 15, 2011). "FedEx Field official: Redskins removed seats they couldn't sell". National Football Post. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020.
- ^ Steinberg, Dan; Allen, Scott (June 1, 2015). "For Third Time in Six Years, Redskins Remove Seats From FedEx Field". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 2, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ Weiss, Eric M. (August 6, 2008). "Metro Shuttle To FedEx Field Is Scuttled". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013.
- ^ Gastelum, Andrew (September 12, 2021). "Water Falls From Stands at FedEx Field, Washington Football Team Fans Claim 'Sewage'". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ Hermann, Adam (January 2, 2022). "WATCH: Stands collapse near Hurts after Eagles-WFT game". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
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- ^ "Jalen Hurts wants answers from WFT, NFL over 'near-tragic' railing collapse at FedEx Field". yahoo.com. January 4, 2022. Archived from the original on June 18, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
External links
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- Sports venues completed in 1997
- Navy Midshipmen football venues
- Soccer venues in Maryland
- 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup stadiums
- National Football League venues
- Buildings and structures in Prince George's County, Maryland
- American football venues in Maryland
- Washington Commanders stadiums
- Washington Football Team stadiums
- Washington Redskins stadiums
- Music venues in Maryland
- Tourist attractions in Prince George's County, Maryland
- 1997 establishments in Maryland
- Sports venues in the Washington metropolitan area
- Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment