Everyone wants a new stadium and a new facility, and everyone wants a new Commanders name, so perhaps Jason Wright threw some cold water on things when he joined Grant & Danny Wednesday.
Dousing No. 1: A new stadium is coming, but don’t expect it before 2028…and consider what used to be FedEx Field as the Commanders’ home beyond the current lease ends in 2027, until that new home is found.
“I always avoid talking timeline (on a new stadium) because it’s not helpful, but it’s gonna take a little longer than 2027,” Wright said. “But, we have a home in PG County where we own the land, and our lease is just a commitment to stay there through ‘27. It’s actually beneficial to us to make sure we’re finding the right next home, so we can be the right partner for one or more jurisdictions, and allowing that process to take its time while moving fast when necessary is what we want to do.”
Dousing No. 2: Wright has no inside info on the No. 2 pick.
“I probably have as much influence as you do, and I’m probably not even paying as much attention as you because I’m so busy,” Wright said. “All I know is it’s easier to sell a championship team, and however they build that, I’m good either way.”
And last but not least: sorry, Commanders fans, but that name is here to stay for now…but he won’t be upset if and when it changes, even though he was part of the braintrust that came up with this one.
“I’d feel the same as it would be with anybody else: if it’s the right thing to do, that’s what it is, and I don’t take anything personally. But, it’s not a priority right now,” Wright said. “We have a lot of work to do on a million other things, but these guys make the right decisions and don’t do stuff on a whim; with any decision, it doesn’t come out of the clear blue, so there’s no reason to posture or defend. Like with their GM process, rapid but thorough is a good description of any process and decision they make, but our focus is on business, and this is not a focus right now.”
And as it seems, at least, business is good.
“The pace of my work has changed and picked up; Josh and this group have high expectations, and we’re able to run the business in an environment where we get an assumption of good intent and trust, which does feel nice,” Wright said. “The excitement around everything on the football side is great for us, because it creates excitement for the fans, which creates for the business. We’re pacing ahead of our ticketing metrics for next year, and that’s credit to our team here, and our fans, and the genuine momentum that exists on the football side. Ultimately, it has to translate to winning, but we’re in a good place.”