I think that is a bit of reach. I don't think he had that kind of pull with Snyder. And we don't know, he may have given his input, but fell on deaf ears.
 }})
Josh Harris Speaks... Commanders is permanent name.
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I just want to win. I want more Lombardi Trophies in the building.
If we're fortunate enough to win another Super Bowl, I know for sure that I won't be in front of my TV thinking, "Man, this would be so much better if they were the Redskins/Warriors/whatevers", I'll be too busy screaming like a madman and crying like a baby at the same time.
Just win. That's what matters.
If we're fortunate enough to win another Super Bowl, I know for sure that I won't be in front of my TV thinking, "Man, this would be so much better if they were the Redskins/Warriors/whatevers", I'll be too busy screaming like a madman and crying like a baby at the same time.
Just win. That's what matters.
burgold
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It's always about the ring.
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Maybe not, but he was right at Rivera’s and Jason Wright’s side as they disregarded fan polling and picked a name no one wanted. And he is a voice the new owners likely would give some credence to.
You are right that we don’t know - totally fair.
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That feels a little like ‘Sure my husband slaps me around once in awhile, but he’s a great provider!’
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Why? Because he didn't change the name of his team to something that you preferred? I don't understand that line of thinking, but I am willing to listen....
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It’s not about ME. I have always thought ‘Redwolves’ sounded like a Pokémon name. But I’d have supported it because it had considerable fan support.
Harris knows this a not what most season ticket holders and lifelong fans want, and made it clear today he doesn’t care.
Harris knows this a not what most season ticket holders and lifelong fans want, and made it clear today he doesn’t care.
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The Rookie
Ha! Nice.
No, it just doesn't matter to me that much any more. Man, in the summer of 2020, I was going to fight the good fight, and never buy anything other than Redskins gear, and never call them anything but the Redskins...but I'm old, it's too exhausting, my 13-year old son is completely on board with the Commanders, and at the end of the day, I just want my football team to be good. Damn good. Like when they were "the model franchise for the league" good.
I don't fault any of you for being bummed. But I'm fine with it, and just ready for what's next.
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I just don't see it that way. But that's the beauty of it; we're welcome to interpret it however we choose.
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Well - today is another day for railing. I will move on tomorrow. But for today I am pissed and disappointed. Harris is not the guy I hoped he was. He may be a successful owner long term, and I will cheer and praise him for it. But on the name - he blew it.
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Immediately after the purchase of the team was finalized, Josh Harris was asked about 'the name'. His response? 'It's about what the fans want'.
Clearly - that was at best disengenuous. At worst...
Today, was not 'what the fans want'.
Clearly - that was at best disengenuous. At worst...
Today, was not 'what the fans want'.
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Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Texans, Broncos and Titans all are 2 syllable team names with no obvious 1 syllable nickname.
The 49ers are odd, because their nickname (9ers) IS 2 syllables.
** Chargers, I think some people call them the "bolts" but maybe not? So maybe add them to the list? I don't know enough about Chargers fans to know what they call the team.
Commanders, Cardinals, Buccaneers, are the 3 teams with 3 syllable names (excluding the aforementioned 49ers, which is 4.) The Cardinals (cards) and Buccaneers (bucs) have obvious nicknames.
The Commanders do not. I feel less strongly about this as a negative than the fact I have no idea what a commander looks like so we're stuck with a stupid W as the logo. If there's anything which irks me, that's what irks me.
I dunno, during the playoff run, I didn't really miss not having a short nickname.
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They can't. The NFL, and specifically this franchise, still owns the rights. I mean, I guess they could and make the team sue them, but otherwise they can't.
That's what the whole holdup was in the senate. The tribe in Montana wanted the rights to the logo back, and they were trying desperately to get it back without saying "we want to use it and sell stuff with it" but couldn't actually say that. Which is what all the other nonesese was all about.
The NFL isn't going to let that IP go. They know how valuable it is. And if they can't profit from it, nobody is going to.
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I had long vowed to never spend my money on anything Commanders branded. I somewhat recently bought this hat because it simply had a W on it. Little did I realize at the time that it was emblazoned with Washington Commanders on the back. Oof.
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I think the primary problem with Commanders has always been the same. It's 'vaguely' military, but as folks with military careers in their history will tell you, it's a lower level Naval rank. I've been a private. I've been a commissioned officer. I've yet to meet anyone who expressed the dream to be a 'Commander'.
Yes - there are platoon commanders, there are company commanders, there are battalion and regimental and division commanders (I was two of those) - but no one uses the term 'Commanders' to describe them.
It's a weird ****ing moniker to choose for a franchise identity even IF you were trying to celebrate the military. It is weird. It just is.
And the 2nd biggest problem with it is that it is impossible, no one being really certain what it represents, to develop logos and symbols for. There's a reason why the Packers have a 'G' for a symbol. And there's a reason why it will be damn near impossible to have anything but a 'W' to represent 'Commanders'.
Yes - there are platoon commanders, there are company commanders, there are battalion and regimental and division commanders (I was two of those) - but no one uses the term 'Commanders' to describe them.
It's a weird ****ing moniker to choose for a franchise identity even IF you were trying to celebrate the military. It is weird. It just is.
And the 2nd biggest problem with it is that it is impossible, no one being really certain what it represents, to develop logos and symbols for. There's a reason why the Packers have a 'G' for a symbol. And there's a reason why it will be damn near impossible to have anything but a 'W' to represent 'Commanders'.
JoeyG
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Does anyone know the best way to let the team know how much we hate this decision? FYI, email, instagram, twitter etc?
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This is the part that drives me crazy. I am nowhere near as passionate as you on the topic, but the block W is a stupid logo. Because they couldn't come up with anything better because, what the hell is a commander?
I might not feel as passionately as you on this, and I'm sorry for all of those who feel very let down today, (I just don't have it in me emotionally to care that much), but I completely agree, the fact you can't actually figure out what a Commander is and come up with a logo is the biggest issue.
Same thing with the Titans. Which is how they ended up with a stupid flaming thumbtack as a logo. I will say, I think the block W is better than the flaming T. But that's not saying much.
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Probably email. In the old days, I'd have said Twitter, but not anymore. Too much trolling on Twitter for it to have much weight anymore.
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Transcript FWIW - name info highlighted in green and gold @ 2:41 and 14:12
0:11
good morning good afternoon everyone uh
0:14
really excited to be here uh before we
0:16
talk football I just want to acknowledge
0:19
the uh terrible tragedies that have
0:21
occurred um here in uh the DC area and
0:24
then obviously in Philly and the loss of
0:27
life and uh my heart and hearts of all
0:31
of us here at the commanders go out to
0:32
the souls that were lost and their
0:35
families and then I just want to say
0:37
thank you to the First Responders who
0:39
are uh helping uh really deal with this
0:43
situation so just take a
0:46
moment now let's talk football uh you
0:50
know and by the way Bobby good to see
0:52
you Doug thank you for being here I'm
0:55
honored um so first of all I'd be lying
0:59
if I didn't say that I wish we were in
1:01
New
1:02
Orleans uh but uh that aside I mean
1:05
obviously I couldn't be prouder of uh
1:08
the team the players the fans the
1:11
coaching staff uh front office and so uh
1:15
I just want to say uh thank you to uh
1:18
Adam Peters and his staff for what you
1:21
did uh uh coach Quinn and Dan your staff
1:26
uh and then obviously it's a testament
1:28
to your leadership uh the culture that
1:30
we built and where we ended up uh NFC
1:34
Championship game first time since uh
1:37
1991 and uh obviously acknowledge the
1:41
players uh Bobby uh but also um all the
1:45
players you know just showed up uh it
1:48
was a new situation and you guys killed
1:50
it and so uh just mentioning uh the
1:53
captain Zach Terry Jeremy Bobby and
1:57
obviously Jaden and what he did
2:00
um and so uh and lastly I wanted to say
2:03
on behalf of uh our ownership group you
2:05
know thank you DMV uh we couldn't have
2:08
done it without you um you showed up and
2:10
thank you to our community of fans I
2:11
mean I couldn't believe when I was uh
2:14
out I went to every game and I'd see uh
2:17
commanders fans and faithful everywhere
2:19
I went and it just it just grew and grew
2:22
and grew and I can't tell you how much
2:24
it means to all of us here uh the team
2:28
uh to feel supported uh when when they
2:31
go to war when we go to war knowing that
2:33
the fans are on our Corner means a lot
2:35
to us so with that uh future is bright
2:38
and I'll open up to questions Josh over
2:41
here John K ESPN so may as well get this
2:43
one out of the way first it's become a
2:44
topic again but what plans if any do you
2:46
have about with rebranding whether it's
2:48
name Jersey and how does winning impact
2:51
how you view that situation yeah so just
2:54
to hit the name first like we're focused
2:56
on uh we're back to saying you know what
2:59
we said all last year which was focused
3:01
on winning football games and getting
3:02
prepared for next year on fixing up um
3:05
Ashburn and um the stadium we could talk
3:08
about that and then on uh engaging uh
3:12
with the community of Washington and so
3:14
uh right now um and and now in this
3:17
building the name commanders mean
3:19
something uh it means that uh you know
3:23
it's about players who um you know are
3:27
uh love football are great at football
3:29
football hit hard mentally tough great
3:32
teammates and so uh it's really
3:35
meaningful that that name is growing in
3:38
meaning and so uh but as far as
3:40
rebranding and bringing our past you
3:43
know which obviously I grew up with and
3:46
all the Super Bowl championships and and
3:48
our future together uh you're going to
3:49
see us head back towards you know
3:52
honoring our past and bring it together
3:54
with their future then how does winning
3:58
impact how does this season the winning
4:00
impact how you how aggressive you may
4:02
want to see the organization be when it
4:04
comes to free agency and other moves
4:06
this offseason look we're looking for
4:09
commanders uh and whether it be uh free
4:12
agency
4:13
trades draft and obviously we have a lot
4:16
of C
4:17
flexibility uh we have a full uh slate
4:20
of draft picks um you know certainly
4:22
we're going to be talking other teams
4:24
where we can find players that you know
4:27
are great at what they do and fit our
4:29
culture and are great teammates uh
4:31
situationally aware and hit hard and are
4:34
tough like we're going to we're going to
4:35
get them to come and so you know we're
4:38
we're totally focused on improving our
4:40
team from last year and I think we're
4:41
going to do
4:42
that uh Josh i' Ben standing with the
4:45
athletic to the point of improving on
4:46
the team you guys obviously with Jaden
4:48
looks like you may have found a really
4:50
good Young quarterback going forward
4:51
that also comes with the opportunity
4:53
with with him on a rookie contract for
4:55
the next couple years how do you kind of
4:56
assess that opportunity and do you think
4:58
that leads to being more of in for
5:00
agency this year yeah we have a massive
5:02
opportunity and um and you know we're
5:05
not none of us are taking that lightly
5:07
we're all fully committed to um
5:10
continuing to uh build our team and be
5:14
elite over a long over the long term
5:16
right and so and obviously that uh you
5:19
know that we we understand that contract
5:21
and those Dynamics and so like I said uh
5:23
where we can find players that uh fit us
5:27
and that we think are going to bring it
5:29
uh we're going to go after him and so
5:31
you know I don't know how that
5:32
translates to aggressiveness and free
5:34
agency where the Adam and Dan are hard
5:37
at work and they're going to advise me
5:39
on that but certainly um you know um
5:42
we're going to do everything we can to
5:44
improve our team and obviously the way
5:47
the season unfolding getting all the way
5:49
to NFC Championship game you've said hey
5:50
this is pretty obviously great but also
5:52
bit surprising you can tell us now what
5:55
were your realistic expectations going
5:56
into this last Pier about what you got
5:58
stuck you actually do look um I knew we
6:01
were going to go to no I I'd say uh I I
6:04
predicted no I'm look obviously uh the
6:06
season uh came out amazing and better
6:09
than anyone expected and no one could
6:11
have sat uh where any where we were all
6:14
sitting at the beginning of the Season
6:16
where we had entirely you know for the
6:18
most part a new coaching staff a new
6:20
front office uh more than half the
6:22
players were changed but like obviously
6:25
you know credit to Adam and Dan uh and
6:28
their staffs for bringing everyone
6:30
together and credit to the players for
6:31
making it happen on the field and so uh
6:34
you know look um you know we're we we we
6:38
got it like we're now we've arrived and
6:41
uh that had that that changes
6:43
expectations and you know I've lived
6:45
through this before and we welcome it
6:48
and uh you know we're just going to work
6:50
harder and to to make uh to create a
6:53
situation where next year we
6:55
win Josh David Aldridge with the
6:57
athletic um in terms
7:01
of uh a new facility new stadium I
7:04
should say um what's your vision what is
7:07
it did you want in terms of do you want
7:10
just a really great Stadium or do you
7:12
see it as an opportunity to kind of
7:13
really transform a neighborhood and and
7:16
have more bells and whistles in terms of
7:19
restaurants housing all of those things
7:21
that some other teams have tried to do
7:24
yeah so I have three or four things in
7:25
mind I mean obviously for me personally
7:28
um you know I grew up with a great
7:30
Stadium um and I understand you know
7:34
what it's like to play in a stadium that
7:37
um you know where it's hard for the
7:39
visiting team to play right I me we've
7:41
experienced different stadiums you know
7:44
like I said I've been to every game uh
7:45
for the last two years and I see
7:47
differences and so you know the first
7:50
the primary objective is to create a
7:52
stadium that we're going to win in
7:54
because I think if we do that and so
7:55
there's all kinds of decisions that go
7:57
into that um but I also think that that
8:00
we have a
8:02
responsibility uh you know when a a city
8:06
um you know takes land and you utilizes
8:10
it you know for um a stadium right
8:13
they're taking it away from other things
8:15
they could do and so it's our
8:18
responsibility to make it uh you know an
8:21
amazing Economic Development opportunity
8:24
uh for where it is and create a lot of
8:26
jobs and you know um help
8:30
um that area right and so all the as I
8:34
think everyone knows we're considering
8:36
multiple jurisdictions but in each case
8:38
right those areas need uh need help need
8:41
Improvement and so that's got to be part
8:43
of it and and you know the cities
8:45
themselves have to have you know their
8:48
own input as to what they want these are
8:50
political processes right and they
8:52
matter to the neighborhoods and to the
8:54
greater areas so we're um you know right
8:57
now in the middle of all that and so
8:59
yeah I think it's both but for me
9:01
personally I start with like we need to
9:03
have a great place uh where our uh fans
9:07
can show up and feel like and and as
9:10
much as possible we want that to be an
9:13
advantage to our team in terms of
9:14
winning on the field do you does the
9:17
success this season speed up a potential
9:20
timeline I know you got to go through
9:23
jurisdictions cities city councils state
9:25
governments so there's a certain
9:28
friction there that you have to navigate
9:29
that you can't do anything about but do
9:31
you think that you've gained a year or
9:34
more in terms of timeline by the success
9:37
of this team yeah look anytime that you
9:39
win on the field I mean we've all we all
9:41
now experienced what it was like here
9:43
right and it was uh The Reawakening of
9:46
watching football here in the DMV and
9:49
and and and everywhere right because
9:51
there's lots of people who grew up with
9:53
the team that I grew up with and and so
9:57
uh anytime that you get that uh re
9:59
wening right the population at large is
10:02
supportive right and so uh there's no
10:05
question that um there's some momentum
10:07
and you know we would hope to capitalize
10:09
on it but I mean obviously we're in um
10:12
you know dialogue with uh you know
10:15
jurisdictions with Washington with
10:17
Maryland and you know really um they're
10:19
a big what they want to do is a big part
10:21
of it also and so uh and every
10:24
indication is that everyone is
10:26
supportive um and so we're just going to
10:28
try to move it forward as fast as
10:30
possible hey joshh Sam 48 with the
10:32
Washington Post uh in November at a
10:34
Bloomberg event with David Rubenstein
10:37
you said that DC would be the most
10:38
politically viable because it would be
10:40
the most accepted by all jurisdictions
10:41
I'm wondering if you still feel that way
10:42
and if you could explain your thinking
10:44
there yeah look I think that um
10:47
obviously um the DMV right is three
10:51
jurisdictions and it turns out D's in
10:53
the middle plus um you know we um you
10:58
know so it's it's it's the location
11:01
maybe plus because of the history um
11:04
it's location that when we do surveys um
11:07
is the most acceptable but there's a lot
11:09
of things that go into this and we play
11:12
in Maryland right now we have an amazing
11:14
relationship with Maryland and like I
11:17
said it's not just our decision like the
11:19
decision is about the specific locate
11:23
regions and areas and States themselves
11:25
and and DC itself so like we have a lot
11:28
of dialogue going with everyone and
11:30
we're going to keep pushing
11:32
forward um but um yeah that that I
11:35
continue to um you know kind of just be
11:38
transparent about uh what the surveys
11:41
say and how the area feels at large but
11:44
that doesn't mean that there's not a lot
11:46
of support in Maryland a lot of support
11:47
in Virginia there is uh but obviously DC
11:51
is um you know kind of align with the
11:54
history and happens to be the easiest
11:56
place to get to for the most number of
11:59
fans and I was going to ask you how does
12:01
that thinking how does you know the
12:03
studies kind of inform your
12:05
multi-jurisdiction discussions that
12:06
you're going to have over the next weeks
12:07
and months yeah look the the these are
12:09
very you know complicated qu uh things
12:12
to decide right so you have zoning you
12:14
have real estate you have what you can
12:16
uh build what you're allowed to build
12:19
and uh site planning and so um certainly
12:23
it's it's an important part of the mechs
12:25
but it's not the only Factor Josh Barry
12:28
for luga from Wasington post this is a
12:30
public private partnership you're
12:32
talking about with the stadium do do you
12:33
expect to pay for the actual building
12:36
yourself and get government to help with
12:39
land and you know infrastructure or do
12:43
you expect to get public money for the
12:44
building too yeah look obviously we're
12:47
having a lot of discussions right now
12:49
and it would be um you know un uh I
12:53
don't think it would be appropriate for
12:54
me to get to you know get in front of
12:57
you know the governments that we're
12:58
talking to the Maryland government DC
13:01
government PG County I mean I think it's
13:04
um it wouldn't be appropriate but I I
13:06
appreciate the question and and just
13:08
kind of a minutia thing Dan Quinn at the
13:10
end of the season talked a little bit
13:12
about um your kind of week- toe input
13:15
with Adam and and him going through the
13:17
process he mentioned Friday calls you
13:20
wherever you were around the world you
13:21
were always um available and what do you
13:25
get out of that what what was the
13:26
process like and what sort of um what's
13:28
the advantage for you to having such
13:30
yeah I'm just learning to be honest with
13:31
you from people who've been um you know
13:34
kind of good at this for a long time and
13:37
you know obviously um very happy with
13:41
what we've got here and um and and you
13:45
know but ultimately right um to a large
13:48
extent I have
13:49
professionals uh running the team
13:52
running the front office and so I'm
13:54
somewhat deferring to them but obviously
13:57
ultimately right um um I have to make
13:59
sure that I understand you know what's
14:02
going on enough that if there was
14:04
something that I disagree with I would
14:06
you know involve myself but right now um
14:08
you know very happy with the leadership
14:10
I have in place Josh Steve wer from the
14:12
Associated Press following up on John's
14:14
question earlier is it safe to say the
14:15
Commander's name is is around just to
14:17
stay is that is that safe to say from
14:18
your standpoint yes and we're actually I
14:21
think it's now being embraced by our
14:23
team by our culture by our coaching
14:25
staff and so um you know let we're let
14:29
we're we're going with that oh and I'm
14:31
curious how did your experience kind of
14:32
dealing with the city of Philadelphia
14:33
and Comcast and all that with the arena
14:35
kind of affect your your Stadium
14:36
thoughts here and and obviously you're
14:38
dealing with three jurisdictions here
14:39
maybe two there how how did that sort of
14:41
affect or maybe help you prepare for
14:43
this uh yeah look any time you go like
14:46
our Northstar it it it really is the
14:49
same approach which is ultimately like
14:50
what's the best you know like I said
14:52
there's a lot of factors but what's the
14:53
best thing to
14:54
do uh for the underlying uh population
14:58
you know Know M you know kind of in the
15:01
case of uh Philly um we got we ended up
15:05
with an amazing um situation where we're
15:10
developing an arena you know in uh the
15:13
sports complex in Philly uh for the
15:16
Sixers we're developing L uh the center
15:19
city in Phil we have Comcast as a
15:20
partner we're getting hockey and
15:22
basketball so I think that we ended up
15:24
with uh an amazing situation um and and
15:29
F Philly right and you know obviously
15:31
it's a little more complicated here
15:32
because it's
15:34
multi-jurisdictional but we're keeping
15:35
our eye on the same thing and trying to
15:37
balance
15:38
everything uh and do what we think is
15:40
the best thing for the um for the city
15:43
for the overall region and the fans and
15:46
the team and that's how we're going to
15:48
think about it but it was a good
15:51
education hey Josh Eric F from
15:54
wusa9 um emails from the city show that
15:58
you personally
15:59
called um Chuck Schumer trying to get
16:02
the RFK bill passed and that you
16:04
personally called with Jason Wright West
16:07
Moore to try and get Maryland to back
16:10
off how do you look at somebody from
16:12
Maryland and say you're seriously still
16:16
considering Maryland when you seem to be
16:19
so laser focused including that picture
16:21
in the Oval Office on a DC option um you
16:25
know look I would say that U Maryland's
16:27
been a you know Governor more and his
16:29
team have been amazing and um you know
16:32
actually what we were trying to do is
16:34
get DC to the table so like I want to
16:36
make sure that we're clearing up this
16:38
misconception DC was not at the table
16:40
because they didn't know in the land um
16:42
they didn't have control of the land so
16:45
what we wanted to do and what we
16:46
accomplished doing was to allow for the
16:50
federal government to transfer control
16:51
of the land to DC right now DC has to
16:54
decide what it wants to do um it's got a
16:57
lot of flexibility do whatever it wants
16:59
with the land and Governor Moore was
17:01
incredible in terms of
17:03
saying uh we went to Governor Moore and
17:05
we said look you know we just want DC at
17:07
the table and he said look I'm on board
17:09
for that um as long you know but I want
17:12
to make sure that if that's a direction
17:15
that DC wants to go and you want to go
17:17
that you take care of Maryland also and
17:18
of course we were going to do that
17:20
anyway and so I I think that there's no
17:23
negga there's no um nothing has been
17:26
decided and we're going down both paths
17:27
at once and so and that was the whole
17:29
conversation so all that happened so far
17:32
and yeah I was working pretty hard to
17:33
get DC to the table because I thought it
17:35
was the right thing uh to do and and now
17:38
we got the hard work of figuring out the
17:40
the the multitude of specifics that you
17:43
need to figure out when you're doing
17:45
something like this and and DC really
17:47
has to decide what it wants to
17:48
do after the RFK land became official in
17:52
DC hands um you made in your ownership
17:56
group up with the Sixers made a pretty
17:58
surprising about face and reached a
18:00
50-50 partnership with Comcast on an
18:03
alternative Arena agreement there as
18:06
opposed to you financing a Downtown
18:08
Arena yeah um are those two things
18:12
separate or or can you see them as
18:14
intertwined and if you're saving money
18:16
in Philly does that mean there's more
18:18
money for a commander Stadium here yeah
18:20
so I mean listen first of all um they're
18:22
not intertwined at all um they're
18:24
totally separate situations and uh
18:27
obviously um
18:29
you know we're GNA we have the op we
18:32
have the ability to finance both uh the
18:35
arena and the stadium they're totally
18:36
separate situations and so and listen um
18:40
ultimately um deals you know you know
18:43
about facei I mean deals kind of come
18:46
ultimately if you keep your eye on
18:47
what's the best thing for the city
18:49
negotiations don't happen in a smooth
18:51
way and then you got to be able to Pivot
18:53
and willing to Pivot and when you think
18:55
it's the right thing to do and and so uh
18:57
it ended up we ended up in a great place
18:59
in Philly and I'm hoping we end up uh
19:02
with a in a great and I'm very very
19:04
confident we'll end up in a great place
19:06
here U Mr Harris mark C Graves NBC
19:09
Washington uh and I understand why you
19:12
don't want to get ahead of the
19:12
conversation on the proposals coming
19:14
from Maryland DC but from your point of
19:16
view DC has several different um
19:20
stadiums with several different models
19:22
business models do you see a stadium in
19:25
DC a business model that you prefer do
19:29
you prefer to own the stadium yourself
19:31
would you want to play in a stadium that
19:32
is owned by the
19:34
jurisdiction yeah again I appreciate all
19:36
these questions and I'm going to go back
19:37
to my same answer which is that um
19:41
really it would be um DC and Maryland
19:44
are deciding what they want right and
19:46
then we're going to react to that and be
19:49
you know let those uh
19:51
conversations play out in confidence and
19:54
all I can tell you is that we're really
19:57
hard at work right now now trying to
20:00
move the process forward uh with
20:02
everyone and try to figure out again an
20:05
amazing place where opposing teams fear
20:09
to come and our fans love to come and
20:11
our players love to come and then do
20:13
that in the context of you know really
20:16
improving the area uh where we're where
20:19
we're building and creating a lot of
20:21
jobs and economic development so that's
20:22
what we're going to do but I can't
20:24
really get into the specifics I it's
20:26
it's you know the cities have to you
20:28
know dictate you know when and how we
20:30
talk about some of those details and
20:32
then obviously I'm happy to be be
20:35
available and react to them but like
20:37
that's really the appropriate way for me
20:38
to move forward on all do you have a
20:40
timeline on when you would like to have
20:42
proposals in hand and make a decision
20:44
and break ground can you update us on
20:46
that timeline for you yeah I I think
20:48
we've talked about being done in 2030 as
20:51
being a base Cas we're going to sort of
20:52
stick with that and not get into um you
20:56
know kind of like you know the specific
20:58
of the timeline because again we're
21:00
reacting to a political process and you
21:03
know look you should listen to the
21:05
jurisdictions themselves they've given
21:07
some hint as to what their what they
21:09
think and uh you know there you know I'm
21:13
I'm listening to them like you are and
21:15
reacting and we we'll keep up and and so
21:18
uh I'm going to let them you know drive
21:20
the conversation on timing and process
21:23
and financial details because that's the
21:25
way I think it should be my last key
21:27
three more questions
21:29
can you just what would what do you say
21:30
to taxpayers about justifying why
21:32
taxpayers should in any way fund
21:34
regardless of the jurisdiction building
21:36
a stadium for for a professional team
21:40
yeah again I think that by and large
21:42
anything we do will create massive um
21:46
Economic Opportunity uh for that area
21:50
from thousands of jobs to you know a ton
21:54
of economic uh opportunity moving
21:56
forward uh Construction our jobs uh and
22:00
a lot of development opportunity around
22:03
it and so that'll all be in the mix
22:05
right and I understand that question
22:08
right and I've been through this and uh
22:10
the cities are going to make that case
22:12
uh and and and then we're going to stay
22:14
behind the cities allow them to make the
22:17
case they want to make and but
22:20
certainly um that will all be it's going
22:22
to have to make sense for the you know
22:25
the people living there right and and
22:27
the and the communi themselves of course
22:30
no question hey J Scott Abraham ABC7
22:33
obviously this time last year you
22:35
officially announced that Dan Quinn was
22:37
going to be your head coach so quite the
22:39
uh 12 months for you what are you most
22:41
proud of over these 12
22:43
months what I'm most proud of I mean
22:45
obviously um there's a lot honestly that
22:48
I'm proud of but first of all the
22:49
leadership um I think I made the right
22:51
leadership choices and uh you know Mark
22:53
clus now in the building in the business
22:55
we're going to be a lead on the business
22:56
side but I really feel like you know I
22:59
as I said to you then my most important
23:01
three jobs
23:02
were uh picking a coach picking a GM and
23:06
then picking someone to lead the
23:07
business and I feel great about where we
23:09
are and the leadership we have in place
23:11
um secondly um I feel super proud
23:14
obviously of how um excited and happy
23:18
the Washington Community is to and The
23:20
Reawakening of Washington football and
23:23
that that's everything from like how we
23:24
played on the field and you know what we
23:27
did on thei field and really uh I mean
23:30
obviously won four games last year to be
23:32
to be going to the NFC Championship how
23:34
can you not be proud of that I mean I'm
23:36
very proud of that and very appreciative
23:38
of the players and everyone who was
23:40
involved in that but also like listen I
23:42
mean I wandered around I made it a point
23:45
of um meeting a lot of fans uh in the
23:48
stadium outside of the stadium and
23:50
people are super happy here and you know
23:52
like people were literally crying in
23:55
bars and you know grown men you know
23:58
grown women uh and and and and it's
24:01
really um it's really helped um the the
24:05
happiness and and and the excitement uh
24:08
and you know there's not there's very
24:09
few things in the um DMV that unites the
24:13
whole DMV and the Washington commanders
24:15
is like front of the list and so um I
24:18
that's probably the thing I feel most
24:19
proud about that um people here are
24:23
appreciative of Washington football
24:25
again like um I felt when I was growing
24:29
up and so let's keep it going you got
24:31
time for one more clearly there's a lot
24:33
of talk with the new stadium but what
24:34
about a training facility are you
24:37
committed to keeping it here in Ashburn
24:39
obviously you invested in a brand new
24:41
grass field what are your thoughts on
24:43
maybe building a new training facility
24:44
in a different jurisdiction or do you
24:45
have plans just to stay here in Ashburn
24:47
yeah so first of all we're going to do a
24:48
lot of things in the offseason to make
24:50
players lives better to make uh coaches
24:55
lives better to make front office lives
24:58
better better and obviously whether it's
25:00
the wet area the weight
25:03
room um our indoor uh facility you're
25:06
going to see a lot of changes here and
25:08
you're going to see a lot of changes in
25:09
the stadium we're going to continue to
25:11
build
25:12
on um you know the $75 million we had
25:16
earmarked so that'll be north of a
25:19
hundred uh you know we got a whole bunch
25:21
of plans to help the premium areas to um
25:25
continue to build infrastructure and
25:28
continue to make the upper deck better I
25:30
mean a lot of a lot of stuff and so but
25:33
here you know really um you know we're
25:36
going to focus right now on the stadium
25:39
itself and you know this and and I think
25:41
the players like to be here a coaches
25:44
like to be here uh that's not to say
25:47
that we won't revisit it over time but
25:48
we're focused on fixing this place up
25:50
right now we're certainly you know going
25:52
to look at that but like right now um
25:54
the big project is is the stadium and
25:57
you know and so so uh right now we're
25:59
going to spend a lot of money trying to
26:01
make this place uh better for the people
26:04
that work live and play here than thank
26:07
you guys thanks everyone bye bye next
26:11
time I need a better chair almost
English (auto-generated)
0:11
good morning good afternoon everyone uh
0:14
really excited to be here uh before we
0:16
talk football I just want to acknowledge
0:19
the uh terrible tragedies that have
0:21
occurred um here in uh the DC area and
0:24
then obviously in Philly and the loss of
0:27
life and uh my heart and hearts of all
0:31
of us here at the commanders go out to
0:32
the souls that were lost and their
0:35
families and then I just want to say
0:37
thank you to the First Responders who
0:39
are uh helping uh really deal with this
0:43
situation so just take a
0:46
moment now let's talk football uh you
0:50
know and by the way Bobby good to see
0:52
you Doug thank you for being here I'm
0:55
honored um so first of all I'd be lying
0:59
if I didn't say that I wish we were in
1:01
New
1:02
Orleans uh but uh that aside I mean
1:05
obviously I couldn't be prouder of uh
1:08
the team the players the fans the
1:11
coaching staff uh front office and so uh
1:15
I just want to say uh thank you to uh
1:18
Adam Peters and his staff for what you
1:21
did uh uh coach Quinn and Dan your staff
1:26
uh and then obviously it's a testament
1:28
to your leadership uh the culture that
1:30
we built and where we ended up uh NFC
1:34
Championship game first time since uh
1:37
1991 and uh obviously acknowledge the
1:41
players uh Bobby uh but also um all the
1:45
players you know just showed up uh it
1:48
was a new situation and you guys killed
1:50
it and so uh just mentioning uh the
1:53
captain Zach Terry Jeremy Bobby and
1:57
obviously Jaden and what he did
2:00
um and so uh and lastly I wanted to say
2:03
on behalf of uh our ownership group you
2:05
know thank you DMV uh we couldn't have
2:08
done it without you um you showed up and
2:10
thank you to our community of fans I
2:11
mean I couldn't believe when I was uh
2:14
out I went to every game and I'd see uh
2:17
commanders fans and faithful everywhere
2:19
I went and it just it just grew and grew
2:22
and grew and I can't tell you how much
2:24
it means to all of us here uh the team
2:28
uh to feel supported uh when when they
2:31
go to war when we go to war knowing that
2:33
the fans are on our Corner means a lot
2:35
to us so with that uh future is bright
2:38
and I'll open up to questions Josh over
2:41
here John K ESPN so may as well get this
2:43
one out of the way first it's become a
2:44
topic again but what plans if any do you
2:46
have about with rebranding whether it's
2:48
name Jersey and how does winning impact
2:51
how you view that situation yeah so just
2:54
to hit the name first like we're focused
2:56
on uh we're back to saying you know what
2:59
we said all last year which was focused
3:01
on winning football games and getting
3:02
prepared for next year on fixing up um
3:05
Ashburn and um the stadium we could talk
3:08
about that and then on uh engaging uh
3:12
with the community of Washington and so
3:14
uh right now um and and now in this
3:17
building the name commanders mean
3:19
something uh it means that uh you know
3:23
it's about players who um you know are
3:27
uh love football are great at football
3:29
football hit hard mentally tough great
3:32
teammates and so uh it's really
3:35
meaningful that that name is growing in
3:38
meaning and so uh but as far as
3:40
rebranding and bringing our past you
3:43
know which obviously I grew up with and
3:46
all the Super Bowl championships and and
3:48
our future together uh you're going to
3:49
see us head back towards you know
3:52
honoring our past and bring it together
3:54
with their future then how does winning
3:58
impact how does this season the winning
4:00
impact how you how aggressive you may
4:02
want to see the organization be when it
4:04
comes to free agency and other moves
4:06
this offseason look we're looking for
4:09
commanders uh and whether it be uh free
4:12
agency
4:13
trades draft and obviously we have a lot
4:16
of C
4:17
flexibility uh we have a full uh slate
4:20
of draft picks um you know certainly
4:22
we're going to be talking other teams
4:24
where we can find players that you know
4:27
are great at what they do and fit our
4:29
culture and are great teammates uh
4:31
situationally aware and hit hard and are
4:34
tough like we're going to we're going to
4:35
get them to come and so you know we're
4:38
we're totally focused on improving our
4:40
team from last year and I think we're
4:41
going to do
4:42
that uh Josh i' Ben standing with the
4:45
athletic to the point of improving on
4:46
the team you guys obviously with Jaden
4:48
looks like you may have found a really
4:50
good Young quarterback going forward
4:51
that also comes with the opportunity
4:53
with with him on a rookie contract for
4:55
the next couple years how do you kind of
4:56
assess that opportunity and do you think
4:58
that leads to being more of in for
5:00
agency this year yeah we have a massive
5:02
opportunity and um and you know we're
5:05
not none of us are taking that lightly
5:07
we're all fully committed to um
5:10
continuing to uh build our team and be
5:14
elite over a long over the long term
5:16
right and so and obviously that uh you
5:19
know that we we understand that contract
5:21
and those Dynamics and so like I said uh
5:23
where we can find players that uh fit us
5:27
and that we think are going to bring it
5:29
uh we're going to go after him and so
5:31
you know I don't know how that
5:32
translates to aggressiveness and free
5:34
agency where the Adam and Dan are hard
5:37
at work and they're going to advise me
5:39
on that but certainly um you know um
5:42
we're going to do everything we can to
5:44
improve our team and obviously the way
5:47
the season unfolding getting all the way
5:49
to NFC Championship game you've said hey
5:50
this is pretty obviously great but also
5:52
bit surprising you can tell us now what
5:55
were your realistic expectations going
5:56
into this last Pier about what you got
5:58
stuck you actually do look um I knew we
6:01
were going to go to no I I'd say uh I I
6:04
predicted no I'm look obviously uh the
6:06
season uh came out amazing and better
6:09
than anyone expected and no one could
6:11
have sat uh where any where we were all
6:14
sitting at the beginning of the Season
6:16
where we had entirely you know for the
6:18
most part a new coaching staff a new
6:20
front office uh more than half the
6:22
players were changed but like obviously
6:25
you know credit to Adam and Dan uh and
6:28
their staffs for bringing everyone
6:30
together and credit to the players for
6:31
making it happen on the field and so uh
6:34
you know look um you know we're we we we
6:38
got it like we're now we've arrived and
6:41
uh that had that that changes
6:43
expectations and you know I've lived
6:45
through this before and we welcome it
6:48
and uh you know we're just going to work
6:50
harder and to to make uh to create a
6:53
situation where next year we
6:55
win Josh David Aldridge with the
6:57
athletic um in terms
7:01
of uh a new facility new stadium I
7:04
should say um what's your vision what is
7:07
it did you want in terms of do you want
7:10
just a really great Stadium or do you
7:12
see it as an opportunity to kind of
7:13
really transform a neighborhood and and
7:16
have more bells and whistles in terms of
7:19
restaurants housing all of those things
7:21
that some other teams have tried to do
7:24
yeah so I have three or four things in
7:25
mind I mean obviously for me personally
7:28
um you know I grew up with a great
7:30
Stadium um and I understand you know
7:34
what it's like to play in a stadium that
7:37
um you know where it's hard for the
7:39
visiting team to play right I me we've
7:41
experienced different stadiums you know
7:44
like I said I've been to every game uh
7:45
for the last two years and I see
7:47
differences and so you know the first
7:50
the primary objective is to create a
7:52
stadium that we're going to win in
7:54
because I think if we do that and so
7:55
there's all kinds of decisions that go
7:57
into that um but I also think that that
8:00
we have a
8:02
responsibility uh you know when a a city
8:06
um you know takes land and you utilizes
8:10
it you know for um a stadium right
8:13
they're taking it away from other things
8:15
they could do and so it's our
8:18
responsibility to make it uh you know an
8:21
amazing Economic Development opportunity
8:24
uh for where it is and create a lot of
8:26
jobs and you know um help
8:30
um that area right and so all the as I
8:34
think everyone knows we're considering
8:36
multiple jurisdictions but in each case
8:38
right those areas need uh need help need
8:41
Improvement and so that's got to be part
8:43
of it and and you know the cities
8:45
themselves have to have you know their
8:48
own input as to what they want these are
8:50
political processes right and they
8:52
matter to the neighborhoods and to the
8:54
greater areas so we're um you know right
8:57
now in the middle of all that and so
8:59
yeah I think it's both but for me
9:01
personally I start with like we need to
9:03
have a great place uh where our uh fans
9:07
can show up and feel like and and as
9:10
much as possible we want that to be an
9:13
advantage to our team in terms of
9:14
winning on the field do you does the
9:17
success this season speed up a potential
9:20
timeline I know you got to go through
9:23
jurisdictions cities city councils state
9:25
governments so there's a certain
9:28
friction there that you have to navigate
9:29
that you can't do anything about but do
9:31
you think that you've gained a year or
9:34
more in terms of timeline by the success
9:37
of this team yeah look anytime that you
9:39
win on the field I mean we've all we all
9:41
now experienced what it was like here
9:43
right and it was uh The Reawakening of
9:46
watching football here in the DMV and
9:49
and and and everywhere right because
9:51
there's lots of people who grew up with
9:53
the team that I grew up with and and so
9:57
uh anytime that you get that uh re
9:59
wening right the population at large is
10:02
supportive right and so uh there's no
10:05
question that um there's some momentum
10:07
and you know we would hope to capitalize
10:09
on it but I mean obviously we're in um
10:12
you know dialogue with uh you know
10:15
jurisdictions with Washington with
10:17
Maryland and you know really um they're
10:19
a big what they want to do is a big part
10:21
of it also and so uh and every
10:24
indication is that everyone is
10:26
supportive um and so we're just going to
10:28
try to move it forward as fast as
10:30
possible hey joshh Sam 48 with the
10:32
Washington Post uh in November at a
10:34
Bloomberg event with David Rubenstein
10:37
you said that DC would be the most
10:38
politically viable because it would be
10:40
the most accepted by all jurisdictions
10:41
I'm wondering if you still feel that way
10:42
and if you could explain your thinking
10:44
there yeah look I think that um
10:47
obviously um the DMV right is three
10:51
jurisdictions and it turns out D's in
10:53
the middle plus um you know we um you
10:58
know so it's it's it's the location
11:01
maybe plus because of the history um
11:04
it's location that when we do surveys um
11:07
is the most acceptable but there's a lot
11:09
of things that go into this and we play
11:12
in Maryland right now we have an amazing
11:14
relationship with Maryland and like I
11:17
said it's not just our decision like the
11:19
decision is about the specific locate
11:23
regions and areas and States themselves
11:25
and and DC itself so like we have a lot
11:28
of dialogue going with everyone and
11:30
we're going to keep pushing
11:32
forward um but um yeah that that I
11:35
continue to um you know kind of just be
11:38
transparent about uh what the surveys
11:41
say and how the area feels at large but
11:44
that doesn't mean that there's not a lot
11:46
of support in Maryland a lot of support
11:47
in Virginia there is uh but obviously DC
11:51
is um you know kind of align with the
11:54
history and happens to be the easiest
11:56
place to get to for the most number of
11:59
fans and I was going to ask you how does
12:01
that thinking how does you know the
12:03
studies kind of inform your
12:05
multi-jurisdiction discussions that
12:06
you're going to have over the next weeks
12:07
and months yeah look the the these are
12:09
very you know complicated qu uh things
12:12
to decide right so you have zoning you
12:14
have real estate you have what you can
12:16
uh build what you're allowed to build
12:19
and uh site planning and so um certainly
12:23
it's it's an important part of the mechs
12:25
but it's not the only Factor Josh Barry
12:28
for luga from Wasington post this is a
12:30
public private partnership you're
12:32
talking about with the stadium do do you
12:33
expect to pay for the actual building
12:36
yourself and get government to help with
12:39
land and you know infrastructure or do
12:43
you expect to get public money for the
12:44
building too yeah look obviously we're
12:47
having a lot of discussions right now
12:49
and it would be um you know un uh I
12:53
don't think it would be appropriate for
12:54
me to get to you know get in front of
12:57
you know the governments that we're
12:58
talking to the Maryland government DC
13:01
government PG County I mean I think it's
13:04
um it wouldn't be appropriate but I I
13:06
appreciate the question and and just
13:08
kind of a minutia thing Dan Quinn at the
13:10
end of the season talked a little bit
13:12
about um your kind of week- toe input
13:15
with Adam and and him going through the
13:17
process he mentioned Friday calls you
13:20
wherever you were around the world you
13:21
were always um available and what do you
13:25
get out of that what what was the
13:26
process like and what sort of um what's
13:28
the advantage for you to having such
13:30
yeah I'm just learning to be honest with
13:31
you from people who've been um you know
13:34
kind of good at this for a long time and
13:37
you know obviously um very happy with
13:41
what we've got here and um and and you
13:45
know but ultimately right um to a large
13:48
extent I have
13:49
professionals uh running the team
13:52
running the front office and so I'm
13:54
somewhat deferring to them but obviously
13:57
ultimately right um um I have to make
13:59
sure that I understand you know what's
14:02
going on enough that if there was
14:04
something that I disagree with I would
14:06
you know involve myself but right now um
14:08
you know very happy with the leadership
14:10
I have in place Josh Steve wer from the
14:12
Associated Press following up on John's
14:14
question earlier is it safe to say the
14:15
Commander's name is is around just to
14:17
stay is that is that safe to say from
14:18
your standpoint yes and we're actually I
14:21
think it's now being embraced by our
14:23
team by our culture by our coaching
14:25
staff and so um you know let we're let
14:29
we're we're going with that oh and I'm
14:31
curious how did your experience kind of
14:32
dealing with the city of Philadelphia
14:33
and Comcast and all that with the arena
14:35
kind of affect your your Stadium
14:36
thoughts here and and obviously you're
14:38
dealing with three jurisdictions here
14:39
maybe two there how how did that sort of
14:41
affect or maybe help you prepare for
14:43
this uh yeah look any time you go like
14:46
our Northstar it it it really is the
14:49
same approach which is ultimately like
14:50
what's the best you know like I said
14:52
there's a lot of factors but what's the
14:53
best thing to
14:54
do uh for the underlying uh population
14:58
you know Know M you know kind of in the
15:01
case of uh Philly um we got we ended up
15:05
with an amazing um situation where we're
15:10
developing an arena you know in uh the
15:13
sports complex in Philly uh for the
15:16
Sixers we're developing L uh the center
15:19
city in Phil we have Comcast as a
15:20
partner we're getting hockey and
15:22
basketball so I think that we ended up
15:24
with uh an amazing situation um and and
15:29
F Philly right and you know obviously
15:31
it's a little more complicated here
15:32
because it's
15:34
multi-jurisdictional but we're keeping
15:35
our eye on the same thing and trying to
15:37
balance
15:38
everything uh and do what we think is
15:40
the best thing for the um for the city
15:43
for the overall region and the fans and
15:46
the team and that's how we're going to
15:48
think about it but it was a good
15:51
education hey Josh Eric F from
15:54
wusa9 um emails from the city show that
15:58
you personally
15:59
called um Chuck Schumer trying to get
16:02
the RFK bill passed and that you
16:04
personally called with Jason Wright West
16:07
Moore to try and get Maryland to back
16:10
off how do you look at somebody from
16:12
Maryland and say you're seriously still
16:16
considering Maryland when you seem to be
16:19
so laser focused including that picture
16:21
in the Oval Office on a DC option um you
16:25
know look I would say that U Maryland's
16:27
been a you know Governor more and his
16:29
team have been amazing and um you know
16:32
actually what we were trying to do is
16:34
get DC to the table so like I want to
16:36
make sure that we're clearing up this
16:38
misconception DC was not at the table
16:40
because they didn't know in the land um
16:42
they didn't have control of the land so
16:45
what we wanted to do and what we
16:46
accomplished doing was to allow for the
16:50
federal government to transfer control
16:51
of the land to DC right now DC has to
16:54
decide what it wants to do um it's got a
16:57
lot of flexibility do whatever it wants
16:59
with the land and Governor Moore was
17:01
incredible in terms of
17:03
saying uh we went to Governor Moore and
17:05
we said look you know we just want DC at
17:07
the table and he said look I'm on board
17:09
for that um as long you know but I want
17:12
to make sure that if that's a direction
17:15
that DC wants to go and you want to go
17:17
that you take care of Maryland also and
17:18
of course we were going to do that
17:20
anyway and so I I think that there's no
17:23
negga there's no um nothing has been
17:26
decided and we're going down both paths
17:27
at once and so and that was the whole
17:29
conversation so all that happened so far
17:32
and yeah I was working pretty hard to
17:33
get DC to the table because I thought it
17:35
was the right thing uh to do and and now
17:38
we got the hard work of figuring out the
17:40
the the multitude of specifics that you
17:43
need to figure out when you're doing
17:45
something like this and and DC really
17:47
has to decide what it wants to
17:48
do after the RFK land became official in
17:52
DC hands um you made in your ownership
17:56
group up with the Sixers made a pretty
17:58
surprising about face and reached a
18:00
50-50 partnership with Comcast on an
18:03
alternative Arena agreement there as
18:06
opposed to you financing a Downtown
18:08
Arena yeah um are those two things
18:12
separate or or can you see them as
18:14
intertwined and if you're saving money
18:16
in Philly does that mean there's more
18:18
money for a commander Stadium here yeah
18:20
so I mean listen first of all um they're
18:22
not intertwined at all um they're
18:24
totally separate situations and uh
18:27
obviously um
18:29
you know we're GNA we have the op we
18:32
have the ability to finance both uh the
18:35
arena and the stadium they're totally
18:36
separate situations and so and listen um
18:40
ultimately um deals you know you know
18:43
about facei I mean deals kind of come
18:46
ultimately if you keep your eye on
18:47
what's the best thing for the city
18:49
negotiations don't happen in a smooth
18:51
way and then you got to be able to Pivot
18:53
and willing to Pivot and when you think
18:55
it's the right thing to do and and so uh
18:57
it ended up we ended up in a great place
18:59
in Philly and I'm hoping we end up uh
19:02
with a in a great and I'm very very
19:04
confident we'll end up in a great place
19:06
here U Mr Harris mark C Graves NBC
19:09
Washington uh and I understand why you
19:12
don't want to get ahead of the
19:12
conversation on the proposals coming
19:14
from Maryland DC but from your point of
19:16
view DC has several different um
19:20
stadiums with several different models
19:22
business models do you see a stadium in
19:25
DC a business model that you prefer do
19:29
you prefer to own the stadium yourself
19:31
would you want to play in a stadium that
19:32
is owned by the
19:34
jurisdiction yeah again I appreciate all
19:36
these questions and I'm going to go back
19:37
to my same answer which is that um
19:41
really it would be um DC and Maryland
19:44
are deciding what they want right and
19:46
then we're going to react to that and be
19:49
you know let those uh
19:51
conversations play out in confidence and
19:54
all I can tell you is that we're really
19:57
hard at work right now now trying to
20:00
move the process forward uh with
20:02
everyone and try to figure out again an
20:05
amazing place where opposing teams fear
20:09
to come and our fans love to come and
20:11
our players love to come and then do
20:13
that in the context of you know really
20:16
improving the area uh where we're where
20:19
we're building and creating a lot of
20:21
jobs and economic development so that's
20:22
what we're going to do but I can't
20:24
really get into the specifics I it's
20:26
it's you know the cities have to you
20:28
know dictate you know when and how we
20:30
talk about some of those details and
20:32
then obviously I'm happy to be be
20:35
available and react to them but like
20:37
that's really the appropriate way for me
20:38
to move forward on all do you have a
20:40
timeline on when you would like to have
20:42
proposals in hand and make a decision
20:44
and break ground can you update us on
20:46
that timeline for you yeah I I think
20:48
we've talked about being done in 2030 as
20:51
being a base Cas we're going to sort of
20:52
stick with that and not get into um you
20:56
know kind of like you know the specific
20:58
of the timeline because again we're
21:00
reacting to a political process and you
21:03
know look you should listen to the
21:05
jurisdictions themselves they've given
21:07
some hint as to what their what they
21:09
think and uh you know there you know I'm
21:13
I'm listening to them like you are and
21:15
reacting and we we'll keep up and and so
21:18
uh I'm going to let them you know drive
21:20
the conversation on timing and process
21:23
and financial details because that's the
21:25
way I think it should be my last key
21:27
three more questions
21:29
can you just what would what do you say
21:30
to taxpayers about justifying why
21:32
taxpayers should in any way fund
21:34
regardless of the jurisdiction building
21:36
a stadium for for a professional team
21:40
yeah again I think that by and large
21:42
anything we do will create massive um
21:46
Economic Opportunity uh for that area
21:50
from thousands of jobs to you know a ton
21:54
of economic uh opportunity moving
21:56
forward uh Construction our jobs uh and
22:00
a lot of development opportunity around
22:03
it and so that'll all be in the mix
22:05
right and I understand that question
22:08
right and I've been through this and uh
22:10
the cities are going to make that case
22:12
uh and and and then we're going to stay
22:14
behind the cities allow them to make the
22:17
case they want to make and but
22:20
certainly um that will all be it's going
22:22
to have to make sense for the you know
22:25
the people living there right and and
22:27
the and the communi themselves of course
22:30
no question hey J Scott Abraham ABC7
22:33
obviously this time last year you
22:35
officially announced that Dan Quinn was
22:37
going to be your head coach so quite the
22:39
uh 12 months for you what are you most
22:41
proud of over these 12
22:43
months what I'm most proud of I mean
22:45
obviously um there's a lot honestly that
22:48
I'm proud of but first of all the
22:49
leadership um I think I made the right
22:51
leadership choices and uh you know Mark
22:53
clus now in the building in the business
22:55
we're going to be a lead on the business
22:56
side but I really feel like you know I
22:59
as I said to you then my most important
23:01
three jobs
23:02
were uh picking a coach picking a GM and
23:06
then picking someone to lead the
23:07
business and I feel great about where we
23:09
are and the leadership we have in place
23:11
um secondly um I feel super proud
23:14
obviously of how um excited and happy
23:18
the Washington Community is to and The
23:20
Reawakening of Washington football and
23:23
that that's everything from like how we
23:24
played on the field and you know what we
23:27
did on thei field and really uh I mean
23:30
obviously won four games last year to be
23:32
to be going to the NFC Championship how
23:34
can you not be proud of that I mean I'm
23:36
very proud of that and very appreciative
23:38
of the players and everyone who was
23:40
involved in that but also like listen I
23:42
mean I wandered around I made it a point
23:45
of um meeting a lot of fans uh in the
23:48
stadium outside of the stadium and
23:50
people are super happy here and you know
23:52
like people were literally crying in
23:55
bars and you know grown men you know
23:58
grown women uh and and and and it's
24:01
really um it's really helped um the the
24:05
happiness and and and the excitement uh
24:08
and you know there's not there's very
24:09
few things in the um DMV that unites the
24:13
whole DMV and the Washington commanders
24:15
is like front of the list and so um I
24:18
that's probably the thing I feel most
24:19
proud about that um people here are
24:23
appreciative of Washington football
24:25
again like um I felt when I was growing
24:29
up and so let's keep it going you got
24:31
time for one more clearly there's a lot
24:33
of talk with the new stadium but what
24:34
about a training facility are you
24:37
committed to keeping it here in Ashburn
24:39
obviously you invested in a brand new
24:41
grass field what are your thoughts on
24:43
maybe building a new training facility
24:44
in a different jurisdiction or do you
24:45
have plans just to stay here in Ashburn
24:47
yeah so first of all we're going to do a
24:48
lot of things in the offseason to make
24:50
players lives better to make uh coaches
24:55
lives better to make front office lives
24:58
better better and obviously whether it's
25:00
the wet area the weight
25:03
room um our indoor uh facility you're
25:06
going to see a lot of changes here and
25:08
you're going to see a lot of changes in
25:09
the stadium we're going to continue to
25:11
build
25:12
on um you know the $75 million we had
25:16
earmarked so that'll be north of a
25:19
hundred uh you know we got a whole bunch
25:21
of plans to help the premium areas to um
25:25
continue to build infrastructure and
25:28
continue to make the upper deck better I
25:30
mean a lot of a lot of stuff and so but
25:33
here you know really um you know we're
25:36
going to focus right now on the stadium
25:39
itself and you know this and and I think
25:41
the players like to be here a coaches
25:44
like to be here uh that's not to say
25:47
that we won't revisit it over time but
25:48
we're focused on fixing this place up
25:50
right now we're certainly you know going
25:52
to look at that but like right now um
25:54
the big project is is the stadium and
25:57
you know and so so uh right now we're
25:59
going to spend a lot of money trying to
26:01
make this place uh better for the people
26:04
that work live and play here than thank
26:07
you guys thanks everyone bye bye next
26:11
time I need a better chair almost
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