Northwest Stadium

For the stadium in South Africa, see North West Stadium.

Northwest Stadium is an American football stadium in Landover, Maryland, United States, located 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Washington, D.C. It is the home stadium of the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). From 2004 until 2010, it had the NFL's largest seating capacity at 91,000; it currently seats 62,000.^[12] The stadium is owned and operated by the Commanders, with non-NFL events managed by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE). The stadium opened in 1997 as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. It was known as FedExField from 1999 until 2024, when FedEx relinquished its sponsorship. The stadium was briefly known as Commanders Field before Northwest Federal Credit Union bought naming rights.

Northwest Stadium

Northwest Stadium Location in Maryland Show map of Maryland Northwest Stadium Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Former names	Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (1997–1999) Redskins Stadium (1999) FedExField (1999–2024) Commanders Field (2024)
Address	1600 Ring Road[1]
Location	Landover, Maryland, U.S.
Coordinates	38°54′28″N 76°51′52″W
Public transit	Washington Metro at Morgan Boulevard
Owner	Washington Commanders (Josh Harris)
Operator	Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (Non-NFL events)
Executive suites	257
Capacity	62,000 Former capacity: List 58,000 (2021)[2] 67,617 (2015–2021)[3][4] 79,000 (2012–2015)[5] 83,000 (2011)[5] 91,704 (2009–2010)[6] 91,665 (2004–2008)[6] 86,484 (2001–2003)[6] 85,407 (2000)[6] 80,116 (1997–1999)[6]
Surface	Bermuda grass
Construction
Broke ground	March 13, 1996 (1996-03-13)[7]
Opened	September 14, 1997 (1997-09-14)
Expanded	1998, 2000, 2005
Construction cost	US$251 million ($476 million in 2023 dollars[8])
Architect	HOK Sport
Structural engineer	Bliss & Nyitray, Inc
Services engineer	M-E Engineers, Inc.[9]
General contractor	Clark Construction[10]
Main contractors	Driggs Construction Co.[11]
Tenants
Washington Commanders (NFL) 1997–present
Website
commanders.com/stadium

History

The former logo of FedExField

A Washington Redskins game in 2014

In the 1990s, Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke sought to replace RFK Stadium as the team's stadium. Cooke considered a site next to Laurel Park Racecourse along Whiskey Bottom and Brock Bridge roads, but lack of parking and public support prompted him^[13] to choose to build instead on Wilson Dairy Farm in Landover, Maryland. A special exit, Exit 16 (initially Arena Drive, later renamed Medical Center Drive), was built from Interstate 495, also known as the Capital Beltway. Cooke named the site Raljon after his sons Ralph and John, registering it with the United States Postal Service for the stadium's ZIP Code. Cooke died months before the opening of the new stadium, which his sons named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. It opened on September 14, 1997, hosting a game against the Arizona Cardinals.^[14]

Daniel Snyder bought the team and stadium from Cooke's estate in May 1999, briefly renaming it Redskins Stadium before selling naming rights to FedEx for 27 years at an average of $7.6 million per year. The stadium was renamed FedExField on November 21, 1999.^[15] The Raljon dateline requirements and placename were phased out by Snyder by the start of the 1999 season.^[16] From 2002 to 2010, the Redskins led the NFL in home attendance^[17] but demand declined thereafter. In the early 2010s, 14,000 seats were removed from the upper deck.^[5][18] By 2015, another 4,000 seats had been removed.^[19]

In July 2023, Snyder sold the team and stadium to a group headed by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion.^[20] The following year, Harris's company Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) took over operating non-NFL events at the stadium.^[21]

On February 28, 2024, FedEx announced that it had opted out of its naming rights contract before its expiration in 2026.^[22] The stadium was temporarily renamed Commanders Field until a deal with Northwest Federal Credit Union was announced on August 27, 2024, to rename it Northwest Stadium.^[23]

Design

Exterior view, 2005

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 after Bobby Mitchell, a running back and executive with the team from 1962 to 2002.^[24][25] The Club Level is named after Joe Gibbs, the team's head coach from 1981 to 1992 and from 2004 to 2007. The Upper Level is named after former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. The stadium has 257 suites as of 2023^[update].

Other events

College football

Northwest Stadium 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 a 1998 game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Navy Midshipmen, a 2004 game between the USC Trojans and Virginia Tech Hokies, and the Army–Navy Game in 2011 and 2024.^[26]

Soccer

The stadium hosting a 2023 Premier League Summer Series game

The stadium has been used for several international soccer matches. It hosted five matches of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, including the United States' 3–2 quarterfinal victory over Germany. On March 28, 2015, Argentina defeated El Salvador before a crowd of 53,978.^[27]

The stadium has also hosted club soccer exhibition matches. During the 2005 World Series of Soccer, D.C. United hosted Chelsea F.C.; the game drew 31,473 spectators, D.C. United's third-highest ever home attendance. On August 9, 2009, D.C. United hosted Real Madrid for another international friendly. On July 30, 2011, Manchester United ended its 2011 summer tour with a 2–1 win over F.C. Barcelona in front of 81,807 fans. On July 29, 2014, Manchester United played Inter Milan in the International Champions Cup.^[28] On July 26, 2017, F.C. Barcelona played Manchester United again as part of the International Champions Cup, drawing 80,162 fans and winning 1–0 on Neymar's last goal for F.C. Barcelona.^[29] On August 4, 2018, Real Madrid beat Juventus 3-1 during the 2018 International Champions Cup. On July 23, 2019, Real Madrid defeated Arsenal on penalty kicks.

Northwest Stadium was considered but rejected as a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue.^[30][31]

1999 FIFA Women's World Cup matches

Date	Competition	Team	Res	Team	Crowd
June 23, 1999	Group C	Norway	7–1	Canada	16,448
	Group D	Australia	1–3	Sweden	16,448
June 27, 1999	Group A	Nigeria	2–0	Denmark	22,109
	Group B	Germany	3–3	Brazil	22,109
July 1, 1999	Quarterfinals	United States	3–2	Germany	54,642
	Quarterfinals	Brazil	4–3 (a.e.t/g.g)	Nigeria	54,642

Rugby union

On October 23, 2021, the stadium hosted a rugby union match between New Zealand and the USA Eagles that drew 39,720 people.^[32][33]

Concerts

The stadium has been host to several festivals, concerts, and tours, including the HFStival and Broccoli City Festival,^[34][35] the Reputation Stadium Tour by Taylor Swift,^[36] the On the Run II Tour by Jay-Z and Beyoncé,^[37] the After Hours til Dawn Tour by the Weeknd,^[38] the +–=÷× Tour by Ed Sheeran, the Renaissance World Tour by Beyoncé,^[39] and the Grand National Tour by Kendrick Lamar and SZA.^[40]

Criticisms

The stadium is regarded as one of the worst in the NFL.^[41][42][43] 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.^[44][45] 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.^[46] The stadium is about a mile away from the Morgan Boulevard station, the nearest Washington Metro station to the stadium. Furthermore, federal regulations prohibit publicly paid shuttle service from public transit agencies when a private service is available.^[47]

In 2021, three water leaks occurred near two fans.^[48] 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 and caused several people to fall near him.^[49] 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 fuck 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 claiming that Hurts was the only one who asked if they were okay.^[50] 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.^[51]

References

1. "Stadium Guide". Commanders.com. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
2. 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.
3. "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.
4. "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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Richman, Mike. "March 13, 1996: Construction Begins on JKC Stadium". Redskin Historian. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. "FedEx Field". Clark Construction Co. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011.
11. "Where a Stadium Soon Will Grow". The Washington Times. March 23, 1996. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
12. Paras, Matthew (September 22, 2022). "Commanders reduce FedEx Field capacity again". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
13. 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.
14. Vick, Karl; Heath, Thomas (September 15, 1997). "After Bumpy Beginning, a Can't-Be-Beat Ending". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
15. 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.
16. "Goodbye to Raljon, and good riddance". The Baltimore Sun. August 20, 1999. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
17. "2008 NFL Attendance Data". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. "Washington Commanders and Northwest Federal Credit Union Announce Stadium Naming-Rights Deal". Washington Commanders. August 27, 2024. Archived from the original on August 31, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
24. "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.
25. 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.
26. Chavkin, Daniel. "Army vs. Navy game location 2024: Why historic rivalry is being played at Northwest Stadium". Sporting News. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
27. "No Messi, but Argentina is still too much for El Salvador" Archived March 31, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.
28. Man United defeats Inter in Shootout Archived August 6, 2014, at archive.today ICC.com July 30, 2014, Retrieved July 30, 2014
29. Barcelona 1 - 0 Manchester United Archived July 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, July 26, 2017
30. "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.
31. 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.
32. "USA Eagles confirm match at FedEx Field". July 26, 2021. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
33. 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.
34. Beaujon, Andrew (August 15, 2024). "Come Out and Play: An Oral History of the HFStival". Washingtonian. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
35. Hodge, Domenica (April 26, 2019). "D.C.'s Broccoli City Festival Returns With Fresh Talent For 2019". BET.
36. Johnson, Trent (July 12, 2018). "Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour is DC's Pop Concert of the Year". District Fray. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
37. Richards, Chris (July 28, 2018). "Beyoncé and Jay-Z's summer tour makes couples therapy feel like karaoke night". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
38. Alim, Teta (July 31, 2022). "In concert, the Weeknd dazzles with a well-tuned sense of the theatrical". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
39. Iasimone, Ashley (August 7, 2023). "Beyoncé in D.C.: FedEx Field Issues Shelter-in-Place Order Due to Severe Weather". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
40. Moreau, Jordan (December 3, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar and SZA Set for 'Grand National Tour' in 2025". Variety. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
41. "FedEx Field ranked as worst NFL stadium". WUSA (TV). August 27, 2022. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
42. "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.
43. 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.
44. 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.
45. 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.
46. 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.
47. Weiss, Eric M. (August 6, 2008). "Metro Shuttle To FedEx Field Is Scuttled". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013.
48. 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.
49. 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.
50. "Fans deny being offered on-site medical evaluation by Washington Football Team after railing collapse at FedEx Field". ESPN.com. January 3, 2022. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
51. "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

• Official website