Science & Environment
Washington Commanders strike stadium naming rights deal with Northwest…
Washington Commanders fans celebrate after NFL team owners unanimously approved Josh Harris’ purchase of the team from Daniel Snyder, at The Bullpen’s “Burgundy and Sold” party on July 20, 2023.
Julia Nikhinson | The Washington Post | Getty Images
The home of the Washington Commanders just got a new name.
The team’s stadium will be renamed Northwest Stadium, per a new agreement with Northwest Federal Credit Union that runs through the 2030-31 season, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal is worth an average annual value in the low $8 million range, according to the person.
The home of the Washington, D.C., NFL team has been without a naming rights partner since FedEx ended its deal with the Commanders in February, two years early. The shipping giant had a deal with the football team that ran from 1999 through the 2025 season.
“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,” said Washington Commanders Managing Partner Josh Harris in a statement.
The new agreement with the Northwest Federal Credit Union adds to an existing stadium sponsorship deal that came in at around $2 million per year, according to the person familiar with the matter. That deal did not include naming rights.
The expanded partnership includes Northwest branding across the stadium, including a new stadium logo. Northwest will also serve as the team’s jersey patch partner for off-season and in-season practices. The partnership will also extend new benefits to Commanders fans who are members of Northwest Federal Credit Union, including discounts on tickets and merchandise.
Last year, Northwest Federal Credit Union became the Commanders’ official credit union partner.
The Commanders are looking to build a new stadium in either Washington, D.C., or Virginia. Should the team move into a new stadium before the 2030-31 season ends, the Commanders have the right under the new agreement to seek a new naming rights partner for the new stadium, the person familiar with the matter said. The credit union does not have the rights to the new stadium or right of first refusal for those rights, the person added.
The Los Angeles Rams currently have the most valuable stadium naming rights deal in the NFL. That deal, with SoFi, is for $625 million over 20 years, according to a person familiar with that agreement. SoFi Stadium is also home to the NFL’s Chargers, but Rams owner Stanley Kroenke owns the stadium, so the Rams collect 85% of stadium sponsorship revenue.
