The former logo of FedExFieldA Washington Redskins game in 2014
In the 1990s, Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke was seeking to replace RFK Stadium as the team's stadium. Cooke sought to build next to Laurel Park Racecourse along Whiskey Bottom and Brock Bridge roads, but lack of parking and public support prompted him to discard the idea.[13] Instead, the stadium was built in Landover, Maryland, on Wilson Dairy Farm. A special exit, Exit 16 (Arena 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, with the first game being held 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 officially 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] In the early 2010s, 14,000 seats were removed from the upper deck due to lack of demand.[5][18] By 2015, another 4,000 seats had been removed.[19] In July 2023, the team and stadium were acquired from Snyder by 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 known as Commanders Field until a deal with Northwest Federal Credit Union was announced on August 27, 2024, to rename it Northwest Stadium.[23] On October 27, 2024, the stadium was the site of the Madhouse in Maryland, a 52-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired from Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to wide receiver Noah Brown to defeat the Chicago Bears 18–15.[24]
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.[25][26] 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 the 1998 game between Notre Dame and Navy, the 2004 Black Coaches Association Classic between USC and the Virginia Tech, and the 112th Army–Navy Game.
Northwest Stadium has been used for several international soccer matches. It hosted five matches at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, including the United States defeating Germany 3–2 in the quarterfinals. On March 28, 2015, Argentina defeated El Salvador at the stadium before a crowd of 53,978.[27] The stadium has also hosted a number of club soccer exhibition matches. During the 2005 World Series of Soccer, D.C. United hosted Chelsea F.C. there; the 31,473 spectators represented D.C. United's third-highest ever home attendance. On August 9, 2009, D.C. United hosted another international friendly against Real Madrid at FedExField. On July 30, 2011, Manchester United ended its 2011 summer tour with a 2–1 win over F.C. Barcelona at FedExField in front of 81,807 fans. FedExField was used on July 29, 2014, in the International Champions Cup as Manchester United played Inter Milan.[28] On July 26, 2017, Manchester United played F.C. Barcelona again at the FedExField as part of International Champions Cup. This time the Catalan club secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United in front of 80,162 fans, with Neymar's last goal for F.C. Barcelona being the difference.[29] On August 4, 2018, FedExField hosted a 2018 International Champions Cup match between Real Madrid and Juventus. Real Madrid won 3-1. On July 23, 2019, FedExField also hosted a match between Real Madrid and Arsenal. The match ended 2-2, and Real Madrid won the penalty shootout. Northwest Stadium was being considered as a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue before being rejected.[30][31]
Northwest Stadium hosted a rugby union match between New Zealand and the USA Eagles on October 23, 2021.[32] This was the first time a rugby union game has been hosted at FedExField. The Eagles lost 104–14 in front of a crowd of 39,720 people.[33]
The stadium is regarded as one of the worst stadiums in the NFL.[34][35][36] 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.[37][38] 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.[39] 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.[40]
In 2021, three water leaks occurred near two fans.[41] 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.[42] 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 F 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. Hurts was the only one who asked if they were okay.[43] 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.[44]
^"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.
^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.
^Richards, Katherine (August 11, 1994). "Clergymen protest stadium: Traffic would hurt churches, they say". The Baltimore Sun. ProQuest2289246850. 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.
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