It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…
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Training camp is right around the corner, with rookies reporting to Ashburn this Thursday (18 July) and veterans showing up on Tuesday, 23 July. The Commanders are holding a limited number of camp sessions that are open to the general public — 28 & 29 July and 2, 4 and 6 August — but if you don’t already have a ticket for one of these sessions then don’t plan on going; all five open camp sessions are sold out. There are two additional sessions on July 30 and Aug 1 that are for certain classes of season ticket holders, so if you have a season ticket package, you may still be in with a chance.
This contrasts rather dramatically with the 2023 season, in which the team had 12 open practices during training camp. Of course, the decision-makers in charge of the Commanders this year comprise a very different set of people than last year. Another factor, however, is that the team agreed to joint practices for its two traveling preseason games against the Jets and Dolphins. This means that the Commanders will have training camp practice sessions at those two teams’ facilities that might otherwise have taken place in Ashburn. Since the implementation of the 17-game schedule (with a corresponding reduction in preseason to 3 games), NFC teams have 9 home games in ‘even’ years (like 2024) while AFC teams have 9 home games in ‘odd’ years. This is somewhat offset by NFC teams traveling for 2 road games in the preseason in even years, and the AFC doing so in odd years.
As recently as 2022, fans were not very keen on showing up for Commanders training camp sessions. Consider this report published by Clutch Points on 28 July 2022:
Via Nicki Jhabvala, there were practically no Commanders fans in attendance for Thursday’s open practice, with the supporters section looking like something of a ghost town.
The fan turnout for day 2 of Commanders training camp. pic.twitter.com/1gbYxOgnMA
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) July 28, 2022
Most teams had massive crowds of fans showing up to support their team, but it seems Commanders fans aren’t quite as keen on the 2022 NFL season as some other fan bases. While Russell Wilson was seen signing autographs for a massive line of fans, the situation in the nation’s capital seems rather bleak.
[I]t’s a tough look for the team right on the heels of their official rebrand. After dropping the Washington Football Team name and entering the Commanders era, fan support will be critical going forwards, but it doesn’t seem as if there’s too much optimism surrounding the team.
After rebranding, trading for Carson Wentz, and signing Terry McLaurin to a huge new deal, the Commanders were hoping they’d done enough to build some semblance of interest from the fan base. Early results suggest that isn’t the case.
There was certainly a resurgence in interest at last year’s training camp, which was rather starkly illustrated by Nicki Jhabvala’s X post on 27 July 23:
Commanders training camp turnout, year over year. pic.twitter.com/hTIShYv6ZO
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) July 27, 2023
As part of its effort to improve fan experience and engagement, the Josh Harris ownership group was able to construct bleachers and a few other amenities for fans prior to the start of camp last July. It has already been reported that those improvements will be in place for this year’s open practices, though the removal/replacement of the unused 30-year-old synthetic turf practice field will be ongoing, according to reports, through the end of the camp period.
With the NFL’s 2nd overall pick — Heisman award winning Jayden Daniels — in the Commanders training camp this year, there is the possibility or likelihood that we will see the same kind of enthusiasm that greeted RG3’s arrival on the scene in 2012.
I’m sure that fans will be keen to see, not only the rookie quarterback, but the high-energy practices that Dan Quinn and his coaching staff have reportedly been running. It felt like a new start for the franchise in 2012; perhaps this time the fresh start will be more substantial and long-lasting.