Commanders 'Dead' Deal: Can Cowboys' Jerry Jones Help Washington Stadium Move?
The chances of the Washington Commanders moving to Virginia 'appears dead' after lawmakers looking to make the move opted to pull the bill from consideration.
Can Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones come to the rescue?
The report from WRIC 8 News comes just months after talks of lawmakers pulling money from the project began.
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 Eric Flack of WUSA 9 News this spring. "With every passing day, it’s evident the team lacks gravity.”
Losing is certainly a part of the equation.
The Washington franchise hasn't had a winning season since 2016 and hasn't produced double-digit wins since 2012. More, 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.
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.
"Winning fixes everything''? Maybe. But Snyder has long had an ally - a mentor, even, in Jones. And when it comes to finances, including NFL facilities getting build, most things Jones has touched have turned to gold.
To fans, this is a case of "burgundy and gold,'' and that's not an attractive color combo to Dallas fans. But Jones doesn't just oversee a Washington rival; he's also a business partner of the Commanders, as are all 32 NFL owners.
Jones has no interest in fixing the Commanders on the field. But he might be Snyder's best advisor when it comes to this off-the-field fix.
