No Fan Attendance for 2020 WFT Season

[Boone]

For Immediate Release
August 12, 2020

Washington Football Team to Kick Off 2020 Season Without Fans at FedExField

Decision comes after discussions with officials from the
State of Maryland and Prince George’s County​

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – With the health and safety of its fans and employees top of mind, the Washington Football Team announced today that NFL games at FedExField will be played without fans during the 2020 season. While the organization had developed a comprehensive health and safety plan in close coordination with the State of Maryland and Prince George’s County (MD), this decision, endorsed by local officials and partners, comes out of an abundance of caution due to the rapidly changing dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision will be re-evaluated by all parties should the situation surrounding the pandemic improve over the course of the season.

“We are fortunate to host the best fans in the NFL year after year, but the wellbeing of those supporters, along with that of our players, coaches and each and every member of our gameday staff is simply too important, and the current knowledge of COVID-19 too unpredictable, to welcome our fan base to FedExField to start the season,” said Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder.

“We were the first team in the league to recall our scouts and other personnel from the field back in mid-March and have been monitoring this evolving situation ever since. This decision was not an easy one, but after several discussions with federal, state and local officials – along with input from some of the nation’s foremost medical experts, based right here in the nation’s capital – we are confident that it is the right one. We are working to find ways to make our fans’ presence felt in new and innovative ways for 2020 and can’t wait to welcome the community through the gates as soon as it’s safe.”

The franchise has reached out to season ticket members with financial alternatives for their ticket plans. Similarly, the customer service team will be prepared to answer questions from those who have purchased single-game tickets for the 2020 season and information will be available on the tickets section of WashingtonFootball.com.

Fans will be able to learn more about ways to cheer on the Washington Football Team virtually prior to the week one matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 13th via the team’s website or by following @WashingtonNFL on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

-WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
ESTABLISHED 1932-​

 

[Chris]

Bummer for all the visiting fans that call WTF Field home.

 

[Boone]

The snark is strong in this one

 

[Bulldog]

Eagles and Dallas lose the home field advantage.

 

[MikefromOH]

I can't think of any fan that will be disappointed by this or notice a difference

 

[Kel Varnsen]

My sentiments exactly Mike. I’m an Orioles fan and when baseball wasn’t happening, I kept thinking about all the games I’ve been to and how much I enjoyed them, even when the team sucked. I live 6 hrs from Baltimore so I don’t get up their often. But when I have gone, I just love being there and the memories of going to games as a kid just come back to me. I was thinking about how I’d pay anything right now just to sit at Camden Yards to watch the Orioles play. Sadly, after all that has happened this offseason, I don’t have that same desire to see the Redskins (yes I know that’s not the name but that’s part of it). It’s really sad and in a way upsetting.

 

[Win4us]

Noticed NBA & MLB viewership was way down, somewhat attributable to the kneeling as well. It’s weird, I’m more mad that I don’t even care about sports anymore rather than not being able to watch them.

 

[ntotoro]

NBA is particularly down. I think their shameless pandering to China has contributed along with the kneeling. Witness how long it took them to allow players to have pro-Hong Kong statements on their ”message” jerseys.

 

[Bulldog]

Yep, the NBA and NFL officials and players care about human rights until it impacts the bottom line.

Some of these guys are so self-righteous, as if people don’t know their endorsed shoes were being made by workers in Asia earning $8 a day.

 

[Elephant]

This is the best case scenario for Snyder. It will be less obvious how poorly the off-season BS has affected attendance, giving the whole name change situation a chance to transition without the undeniable proof in the stands that this organization is a complete cluster f**k.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

Might also be a good time to renovate, cave to the MD govt ask for no lease payments under duress, fix it up, after all this you think any state or county is shilling out the dollars for subsidy to tax payers for a new place?? That makes to much sense for Snyder I know. You'll see low ticket holder buying stadiums not play at home, higher dollar the season ticket holders we'll be there, you think those who spend 30k on Cowboys tickets wont be in live, no way the teams with fat payrolls and large "commitments" from fans dont have some live......end of SO rant

 

[Miles Monroe]

Good way to keep fans from singing hail to the Redskins

 

[Boone]

This is the best case scenario for Snyder. It will be less obvious how poorly the off-season BS has affected attendance, giving the whole name change situation a chance to transition without the undeniable proof in the stands that this organization is a complete cluster f**k.

I agree Brian. The other possible benefit is that this is a breakthrough season for Haskins and the defense, we win some games we shouldn't, are better than .500, and enter 2021 with a lot more positive energy and fan excitement than anyone currently thinks is possible.

 

[Elephant]

I agree Brian. The other possible benefit is that this is a breakthrough season for Haskins and the defense, we win some games we shouldn't, are better than .500, and enter 2021 with a lot more positive energy and fan excitement than anyone currently thinks is possible.

Haha! I know my post sounded a tad bit negative, cluster f**k and all...but that was the best positive spin I could muster at this point.

I've been thinking about how I will handle this coming season, and the best was to put it is this...I probably won't watch because it's not my market so games likely won't be televised. I won't actively root for or against the team...Snyder is dead to me so if the organization crumbles, I wouldn't really care.

However, complete indifference is not how I feel either, because of the players. I like Allen, Payne, and Ionnides. Kerrigan will go down as one of my favorite players in a Skins' uniform. I wish he'd have been released to play for a team competing for it all. I would like to see Landon Collins succeed. Bryce Love and Cole Holcomb were a couple of young players I really wanted to see be the best players they can be. Then there was Antonio Gibson, after watching him at Memphis...I was really excited to see him play. And I really don't see it... but I'd like to see Haskins win.

So I will cheer for individual players to succeed, I can just never look at the organization the same...they're just not the Redskins, no matter how hard I try. Oh and the more I think about cheering for the Ravens, the more some idiot Ravens fan just proves how stupid much of their fanbase is.

 

[Enforcer]

Actually, with the NBA, ratings were down the first week, but have gone up in the weeks since....

For the Skins, this is no shocker. Following the lead of the other sports orgs. Will be weird for rookies who have their first year played with zippy fans. But, like others have mentioned, hopefully the team shows well and there will be positive momentum for 2021.

 

[Win4us]

I agree Brian. The other possible benefit is that this is a breakthrough season for Haskins and the defense, we win some games we shouldn't, are better than .500, and enter 2021 with a lot more positive energy and fan excitement than anyone currently thinks is possible.

We all know how bad the team has played over the years, but I’m thinking they’ll get a lot less bs penalties called as well. With the name change coupled with a Snyderless owner they may even get Patriots level referee’d games.