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The Washington Commanders are commemorating a significant date in franchise history.
July 9, 1932, Boston, Massachusetts, was awarded an NFL football franchise. The team’s majority owner was George Preston Marshall. Other men sharing an interest in the ownership of the new football franchise were Vincent Bendix, Jay O’Brien, and Dorland Doyle.
Sunday, marking 91 years since the official founding of the franchise, the current Commanders are offering their fans a deal for the 2023 season opener at FedEx Field against the Cardinals.
For Washington NFL fans who don’t yet have a ticket to the first game of the post-Daniel Snyder era (1999-2022), the Commanders are offering two upper-level tickets for only $79. For that same price of $79, the Commanders are also offering one lower-level ticket.
But again, it is only this weekend. It is an opportunity for many fans to seize the chance and be a part of this season’s home opener.
The Commanders tweeted announcing the opportunity to their fan base Friday.
We turn 91 on Sunday and we’re celebrating 𝘢𝘭𝘭 weekend
Spend $79 and get two upper level tickets OR one lower level ticket to #AZvsWAS
Just tap below and use code BIRTHDAY
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) July 7, 2023
It is interesting that the team did not determine to make this opportunity for the fans on the weekend of July 20. That will be the day that the NFL has scheduled for the convening of NFL franchise owners to officially cast their vote to accept the new ownership group of the Commanders headed by Josh Harris.
The controversy will continue regarding the name change for those who have been long-term fans. Some will claim the Commanders began on 2-2-22, and therefore the Commanders have no right to claim the history of the Washington Redskins/Boston Redskins/Boston Braves as they are doing in this celebration of 91 years.
It’s such a difficult issue. Those who were not diehard fans and students of the history of the franchise will naturally have a much easier time accepting the new name, new uniforms and such ventures by the Commanders to link the history of the Redskins and Commanders.
But two things remain both clear and certain. One, July 20, 2023, will be a day both Redskins fans and Commanders fans will join in unity of being glad the Daniel Snyder era will come to an end. He is not to be blamed for “everything,” but the unity will come with the finalization of his era.
Secondly, if the Commanders can put together a winner in 2023 and continue to post winning records over the next few years, it will go a LONG way to regaining the fan support they have lost through the Daniel Snyder era and the many seasons of losing football.