The Washington Commanders’ stadium will be getting a new name after more than two decades of being known as FedEx Field. The package delivery company is ending its sponsorship of the stadium two years early.
The team tells WTOP that for now the stadium will be called Commanders Field while the Commanders look to secure a new naming rights partner.
FedEx said in a statement to WTOP it is focusing on “broader NFL sponsorship and opportunities” and giving up the naming rights to the Prince George’s County stadium.
“We continuously review our marketing programs to ensure our investments are aligned with our evolving business objectives,” the statement said. “We believe the future is bright for the Washington Commanders, and we look forward to watching the team evolve under their new ownership.”
FedEx had the naming rights to the stadium where the football team plays through 2025. It paid the team $205 million in 1999 for the naming rights, changing its name from Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.
The Commanders thanked the delivery company for “its longstanding naming rights sponsorship and their work with our team and community” in a statement.
“We have already started the process of identifying our next stadium naming rights partner — a partner who will play a crucial role in ushering in the next era of not only Commanders football, but also a robust slate of top live events and concerts,” the team’s statement read.
A 2023 internal document detailing investments in the football team and stadium by new owner Josh Harris outlined a provision in the naming rights contract that allowed FedEx to terminate their stadium sponsorship deal if management of the team changed.
The leaked document also said Washington could bring on a higher-paying name rights sponsor in 2024, with a projected $10 million increase in naming rights revenue for the 2024 season.
When will the Commanders’ stadium be renamed?
Matt Winkler, professor of sports analytics and management at American University, said he’s “not surprised” by FedEx’s decision.
Winkler said it was apparent the shipping giant was leaning this direction during the last few years of the Dan Snyder era, citing a letter the company sent then-owner Daniel Snyder in 2020 asking the team to change its name. FedEx founder and chairman Fred Smith was a minority owner of the team until 2021, when Snyder and his family bought out the shares held by Smith, Dwight Schar and Bob Rothman.
“That was the first sort of canary in the coal mine, but a very serious one,” Winkler said of FedEx’s letter.
Winkler believes we will see a short-term naming rights deal, as the team decides where it wants its home to be for the long term. According to Winker, while he is confident the team is already fielding new naming rights offers, especially from some big regional companies, he said finding the right sponsor could take some time.
“We’ve seen the Nationals, you know, have trouble after all these years, finding the right naming rights partner for their stadium. So, it’s not a slam dunk,” he said.
Other stadium changes to come
The announcement comes a day after the NFL team released plans for upgrades to the stadium.
Finding a new naming rights partner for its stadium is the latest addition to a list of changes that Washington said it’s “excited about for the 2024 season,” including new head coach Dan Quinn and the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft.
While the team is contractually obligated to play at the Landover stadium through 2027, it has been looking into building a new stadium.
The House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would transfer the land currently occupied by RFK Stadium from the federal government to the District, moving it on to the Senate. The bill says, “The city could use the land for stadium development, residential and commercial development, recreational facilities and open space.”
The team last year said it supported efforts by the city to get control of that site, which is the favored place of a new stadium by many fans. RFK Stadium is where Washington played from 1961-96 when Harris and co-owners Mitchell Rales and Mark Ein were fans of the team.
The Washington Post first reported the end of the sponsorship deal.
WTOP’s Mike Murillo and Thomas Robertson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
