Northwest Federal Credit Union (NWFCU) has today (Tuesday) acquired naming rights to the Washington Commanders’ home stadium as part of a multi-year deal with the NFL team.
The deal will rebrand Commanders Field to Northwest Stadium, with the agreement to be officially launched on September 15 when the Commanders host the New York Giants in their opening home game of the 2024 regular season.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Sportico has reported that the agreement will be worth more than $8m (£6m/€7.2m) annually over eight years.
The Commanders have been seeking a new naming-rights partner since February, when FedEx announced it had opted to end its sponsorship of the venue early. The stadium had been known as FedExField since 1999, before its change to Commanders Field.
FedEx’s deal with the Commanders had been due to expire in 2026 but the company ended its backing two years early as part of a review of its marketing programmes.
NWFCU is an existing sponsor of the Commanders and was named the official credit union partner of the team last year. As part of the expanded deal, there will be exclusive Northwest branding across the stadium, including a new logo on exterior and interior signage.
Northwest will also serve as the Commanders’ jersey patch partner for off-season and in-season practices, while Northwest members will receive discounts on Commanders tickets and merchandise.
Commanders managing partner Josh Harris said: “Northwest Federal Credit Union has been an integral part of this community for generations and we could not be prouder to partner with an organisation as committed to the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) as we are.
“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.”
The Commanders’ current lease at Northwest Stadium, which is located in Maryland, expires in September 2027 and the team has been linked with a move to a new stadium elsewhere in the state. Virginia and Washington, D.C have also been proposed as potential locations for a new stadium.
In June, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) in Washington, D.C. released a report outlining the current and potential impact of professional sports in the District. Prior to the team’s current stadium opening in 1997, the Commanders played in D.C. at RFK Stadium.
Speaking yesterday (Monday), Harris said he was hopeful that the team could move into a new stadium in time for the 2030 season, but admitted that there is “no way to predict a specific date”.
Featured image credit: Northwest Stadium
