A new football season brings with it new changes, and the Washington Commanders are no exception.
The Commanders and Northwest Federal Credit Union have struck a new deal for naming rights to the stadium, which will now be known as Northwest Stadium. There are no financial details of this deal available publicly, but a team spokesperson says that the deal exceeds the average annual value (AAV) of the previous naming rights statement.
The deal was secured together with Elevate to negotiate a community-driven partnership between the Washington Commanders and Northwest Federal Credit Union, which is the first naming-rights partnership for a credit union in NFL history. The new deal will run until the 2031/2032 season.
The Landover, Md. based stadium was named FedEx Field for 25 years until February, when it unexpectedly pulled out of the naming rights deal two years early, initially set to end in 2026. The stadium was temporarily named Commanders Stadium between these deals.
The Commanders had previously announced to have spent $40 million to upgrade the structure and the fan experience in their home stadium, and further changes are now expected to be seen in new branding, a new stadium logo, and a Northwest patch to be worn on player jerseys. The team also said that fans who are Northwest Federal Credit Union members will get discounts on tickets and merchandise.
“As we continue to work toward our goal of building the Commanders into an elite franchise that consistently competes for championships, we are excited 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,” Commanders owner Josh Harris said in a statement.
The sponsorship changes came amid a push by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to get the Commanders back to the District, as the Commanders’ lease in Landover is expected to end in 2027.
“I think that the city and the Commanders will have to make some decisions about the land,” Bowser said. “It is clear to a lot of people that the best site in the region is one that’s centrally located, it’s on Metro, it’s been a stadium, and it has, also, a lot of emotional attachment for players and fans.”
After the election, there should be expected progress from congress on a bill that will pave the way for the Commanders to go back to D.C. – a move which Harris says that he is “incredibly motivated” by.
It comes during a time of big moves for the Commanders, as the ownership has changed hands, bringing in a new head coach in Dan Quinn – whose previous jobs include leading the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl in the 2016/2017 season. Team president Jason Wright is also expected to depart after the 2024 season.
The Commanders’ first home game under the new sponsorship at the stadium will be on Sunday Sept. 15 against the New York Giants at 1 p.m., and there will be a joint press conference prior to the game.
