It is inevitable, the Washington Commanders will have a new — or newly renovated — home in the upcoming years. Where are the leading locations and who is going to pay for it?
Anticipate additional changes to take place in the D.C. area! It looks as if the Washington Commanders (Formally known as the Washington Redskins/Washington Football Team) will be moving on from the organization’s home in North Englewood, MD. The team is will be playing at FedEx Stadium through 2027.
As a result, all signs point to major renovations or a completely new stadium altogether. If ownership opts for a new venue, it will be established within the city limits of Washington D.C. or Virginia. Possible site locations for the state of Virginia include one in Loudoun County while another two exist in Prince William County.
Maryland makes a bid for the Commanders but not for a new stadium. https://t.co/rK9wwlDG4z
— Commanders Wire (@Washington_Wire) April 7, 2022
Projected Washington Commanders Stadium Locations
Local Maryland leaders will put up a fight to keep the Commanders within the state but, at the end of the day, they simply will not be able to match Virginia’s proposal. “Old Dominion” plans to lure the Commanders with $1 billion to be used towards the building of a multi-billion dollar complex.
(Conditions for the funds are for the Commanders to allocate a minimum of $2 billion to the overall project themselves.) Given how the state of Maryland already supports Baltimore-located stadiums — Camden Yards and M&T Bank — backing a third would be pushing the envelope.
Through the plans of Virginia, the Virginia Football Stadium Authority would help fund a new stadium in Northern Virginia.
COMMAND CENTER
Virginia Stadium Plan For #Commanders Suffers Major Blow via @DHarrison82
@WSHFootballSI @LOCommandershttps://t.co/tXG2N9WQ3r
— Commander Country (@CommandersFN) April 1, 2022
Who is Paying the New Stadium Bill?
Whenever a state comes to the table with some cash, I start to cringe. The NFL generates a ton of loot, so why use public funds? These organizations have the funds. However, when looking at the VA plan, the proposal does not look that bad! The Virginia legislature would authorize the sale of up to $1 billion worth of government bonds to help fund a stadium project.
The Football Stadium Authority, via local leadership, would be authorized to sell $1 billion in bonds. The team would be responsible for paying the bonds back over the course of 30 years with an estimated $3 billion in tax revenue from the new stadium. Similar construction plans have been used in building new stadiums in Atlanta, Dallas, and Santa Clara (49ers).
Washington Commanders Fans — Get Ready to Pay the Piper!
Watch out for a little thing called a “Seat License.” Do you really think Daniel Synder is not going to try and pass on new costs to his patrons?
A PSL (personal seat license), is a paid license that gives the holder to the right to buy season tickets. With a PSL, you need to spend money for the right to spend more money. They flat out STINK but, teams like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and others, have all implemented them.
Will it make sense to purchase a Washington Commanders PSL? My immediate thought would be NO, but let’s wait and see. For instance, a new venue constructed in the downtown D.C. area brings further “destination” value. More so than a building in the suburbs.
Recouping the cost of a Raiders ticket — even if the team sucks — is easier to do than the New York Giants or Jets. An event taking place on the Vegas strip has a premium value. If a team stinks and plays 11 miles outside of the hustle of a thriving downtown area, be careful!
Thank you for reading why I think you can expect a dip in NFL ratings. You can check out all of my gaming, sports investing, and general NFL HOT takes on my IDP Guys author page. Feel free to connect with me on Twitter @MarcSaulino and follow @IDPGuys in an effort to stay informed about everything that is NFL relevant.
