Remember the awkward moment earlier this year when Washington Commanders team president Jason Wright said the team would benefit financially when the Snyder family sold the team? This was when Dan and Tanya Snyder still owned the team.
Specifically, Wright said the Commanders would receive a “significant boost.”
Wright didn’t mean it as a slight to the Snyders; he even noted that they understood a sale would benefit the franchise. Wright knew — and so did everyone else — that once you remove Snyder from the franchise, some fans would return.
The biggest question was how many fans would return.
Snyder had spent 24 years destroying a loyal and passionate fan base. Some fans would stay away until he was gone, while some would never return.
Last week, the NFL officially approved Josh Harris as the new owner. Since that time, Harris has been treated as a hero.
On Thursday, fans packed Ashburn on the first open training camp practice. It was a far cry from one year ago. But has Washington already benefitted financially from the sale?
At Harris’ introductory press conference, Wright said that the Week 1 opener at FedEx Field was almost sold out. According to Matthew Paras of The Washington Times, since Snyder and Harris reached an agreement in the spring, the Commanders have 4,143 new season ticket holders. That’s a pretty considerable jump considering where Washington has been in recent years.
In addition to season tickets, total ticketing and suite revenue has already exceeded 2022. Even more impressive, since Harris took over officially last week, Paras noted that “the Commanders are selling tickets at a rate of eight-to-10 times higher than their normal daily average.”
The truth is Washington would’ve seen an increase regardless of who purchased the team. But Harris is local; he’s an experienced professional sports team owner, hugely successful, and, most importantly, relatable.
Imagine if the Commanders have a successful season.