How Trump could get his name attached to new Commanders stadium
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Getting your name on the new Commanders stadium would be as close as you get to having it on the Capitol. Which may be why President Trump wants it so much.
Why it matters: City Hall sources tell me they hate the idea but know they might be powerless to block it.
What I'm hearing: Naming-rights deals for NFL stadiums keep getting bigger, and the Commanders' could be the biggest ever — potentially cracking $1 billion.
- But Trump could gum up the stadium's future if the Commanders don't play ball.
- With his megaphone and allies on the National Capital Planning Commission, Trump could exact pressure on the stadium process, worrying local observers in blue D.C. who might disavow stepping foot in "Trump Stadium."
Zoom in: When the stadium opens in 2030, it could smash the current record-holder for sports naming rights, LA's Crypto.com Arena worth $700 million.
- And you could see why. Imagine a Boeing Stadium. Not only will it be filled with Beltway insiders — regulators, senators, business VIPs — but also, every time a broadcaster shows a beauty shot of Boeing Stadium, powerful U.S. landmarks would be in the backdrop.
- K Street is already trying all angles to get a foot in. Corporations are hiring premium sports consultants to engage team owner Josh Harris.
How it works: The District will own the stadium. But the Commanders have the final say over the name.
- You don't see many stadiums named for politicians.
- And it's hard to imagine the Commanders spurning a lucrative sponsorship — which would go a long way toward paying down the $4 billion stadium — just to please the president.
Yes, but: There are other ways the president could get his name up in D.C. lights.
- He has had no problem finding mega-donors to fund his new ballroom, or the "Trump accounts" for kids. Maybe he'd have donors waiting in the wings on his behalf.
- Or he could take an extreme negotiating position and land something else — like a Trump Hotel at RFK.
What they're saying: The Commanders declined to comment. The White House referred me to an earlier comment from spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, saying, Trump Stadium "would surely be a beautiful name."
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