Command Center: Virginia Stadium Plan For Commanders Suffers Major Blow

With public interest low, officials are less willing to produce overwhelming support to new stadium efforts

There are a lot of changes happening in and around the Washington Commanders organization these days. 

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New name, logo, and uniforms for the Washington Commanders are just one of many changes the team is - and will - experience in the near future

Quarterback Carson Wentz will be the first quarterback to lead the new-name Commanders onto a field of play in 2022

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With constant investigations surrounding the team, many are hopeful owners Dan and Tanya Snyder will be exiting the franchise sooner, rather than later

New name, uniform, starting quarterback, and many hope coming soon will be new ownership.

Washington is also eyeing a new stadium that will be more of an entertainment complex than a football stadium. Especially if the plans to build it in Virginia come to fruition. 

But the plans in Virginia may have just suffered a major blow, according to Eric Flack of WUSA9 who reported recently,

"In what could be a major blow to plans for a brand-new Washington Commanders stadium in Virginia, state lawmakers are in talks to take hundreds of millions of dollars off the table in its bid to bring the team’s new complex to the Commonwealth."

Original reports of public funding contributing $1 billion towards a new stadium complex being built in Virginia are now being slashed to $350 million. 

The reason? 

“Public reaction to this project has been underwhelming," one Virginia legislator told Flack. "With every passing day, it’s evident the team lacks gravity.”

Losing is certainly a part of the equation. 

The franchise hasn't had a winning season since 2016 and hasn't produced double-digit wins since 2012. 

Even further, Washington hasn't seen a playoff victory since 2005. 

All of this has led to the Commanders having the second-worst home game attendance, just ahead of the Detroit Lions, despite playing in the ninth-biggest market in pro sports according to Sports Media Watch.

Of course, the 'black cloud' hovering over the franchise doesn't help matters either. 

To many, that cloud's name is Dan Snyder. 

Impacting this development are three factors. 

First and foremost, the fact Washington D.C. and the state of Maryland have already stated they will not be dedicating public funds to a new stadium. Making the reported $350 million now being considered $350 million more than any other offer Snyder may receive.

Second, comes the news of the Buffalo Bills - 14th in attendance in 2021 - who are yearly Super Bowl contenders at the moment, getting $850 million in public funding for their new stadium. 

The Bills' deal is a record-high for public funding of a new NFL stadium. 

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Antonio Gibson leaves the field following a Washington Commanders loss to the Philadelphia Eagles

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Washington fans haven't seen a winning team in years, and with off-field issues accompanying losing, public support is at an all-time low

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As a yearly playoff contender, the Buffalo Bills received a record-setting amount of public funding for a new stadium, which is still less than the original $1 billion being reported from Virginia for Washingotn's new complex

Contributing similar, or even more, funds to a new Washington Commanders compound won't sit well with a population already disenchanted with the franchise, to begin with. 

The saying, 'winning fixes everything', comes to mind, but with losses stacking on and off the field for Washington, it's unlikely they'll see an increase in willingness to absorb more moving expenses anytime in the near future.