The DMV landmark and home to the Washington Commanders known as FedEx Field is now Northwest Stadium, following the relinquishing of old naming rights and an early end to a 27-year sponsorship deal originally intended to last through 2026.
The old name was officially removed from the stadium on Aug. 5 and Northwest Federal Credit Union (NWFCU), the team’s official credit union partner, will become the stadium’s new sponsor on Sept. 15. The new eight-year sponsorship will add a new exterior logo to the stadium and NWFCU patches to team uniforms.
This is the first naming-rights partnership for a credit union in NFL history and the financial details are not currently available.
“Northwest is thrilled to continue building on the great work we have achieved alongside the Commanders. With a combined history of nearly 170 years in the D.C. metro area, this expanded partnership was an amazing alignment of our values to enrich the local community. It is an honor to be able to welcome everyone to ‘Northwest Stadium’ and introduce the inspiring initiatives that this collaboration represents,” said NWFCU CEO Jeff Bentley.
With this new partnership, Bentley and NWFCU are prioritizing creating opportunities for the community overall.
“Together, we look forward to ensuring that Northwest Stadium is an impactful place where we rally together over our common love of football, giving back to the community, and creating memorable experiences that last a lifetime.”
Ending the FedEx naming rights two years early will cost the Commanders and new owner Josh Harris roughly $15 million. In February, FedEx Corporation announced they were ending their decades-long sponsorship of the stadium while still maintaining a partnership with the Commanders.
“We thank FedEx Corporation for its longstanding naming rights sponsorship and their work with our team and community and look forward to their continued partnership within the Commanders’ family,” read an official statement from the team posted in February.
Former owner Dan Snyder sold the naming rights to the stadium for $7.6 million per year and it was officially renamed on Nov. 21, 1999 to FedEx Field.
The team’s ownership group invested $75 million into fan amenities, including two new luxury areas for fans. The Tunnel Club and the 1932 Club both offer premium experiences for fans, and the 1932 Club sold out its tickets over the weekend. However, some fans have noted the rise in beverage costs: six dollars for water, eight dollars for Gatorade, and beer for nearly $20.
“I want people to feel comfortable here, to be able to feel — importantly — part of a community,” said team owner Harris. “We’re all part of a community that wants the Commanders to win.”
The team’s future at Commanders Stadium remains cloudy. Prior discussions to move the team to a proposed entertainment district in Alexandria appear to be stalled, and DC leaders
’s ownership group invested $75 million into fan experience over the offseason, including two new luxury areas and $10 million for expedited automated food service areas.
Harris cited Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium and Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium as models to emulate.
Team ownership is still considering 2030 as a “target year” to open a new stadium for the team and if the team moves, NWFCU will not have the first option to secure naming rights without other organizations negotiating.
The Current Stadium and New Updates
In the ownership transition from Snyder to Harris, the Commanders have made some new updates and improvements for the fan experience. This has included $75 million of investments into luxury seating areas, expedited security entrances, and new food options for the loyal fan base.
The 1932 Club, an exclusive luxury area, offers all-you-can-eat food, free beer and wine, and theater-style suites, for $7,500 season tickets, which sold out over the first weekend of sales.
The Tunnel Club, a renovation of a former team closet, will allow 150 members to enter through the same tunnel as the team and opportunities to meet the players, at an annual cost of $15,000 for two passes.
Despite upgrades, some fans have noted rising beverage costs: water is now $6, Gatorade is now $8, and beer is nearly $20.
The team’s future at FedEx Field remains cloudy. Past discussions to move the team and other local sports teams to an entertainment district in Alexandria remain stalled and D.C. leaders are discussing the potential to repurpose the RFK Stadium for the Commanders to move.
The team also moved their business operations from the stadium to College Park earlier this year.
The team is also planning to redo the team’s commemoration of the late Sean Taylor, a defensive star who was tragically killed in a home invasion in 2007, and give him the honor of being the team’s first statue for a former player.
Jackie Taylor, the daughter of Sean Taylor, will have input in the design process.
“We’ve been working closely with the Taylor family and came to a decision jointly that it was probably time to look for something new,” said Harris. “We’ll be considering that over the next season with the family.”