It took a new owner and a bulldozer, but Washington fans are finally seeing the dawn as they prepare for a new stadium. Synder’s reign is over, and he is in the rearview. Fans are closing the book on his tenure, eager to forget it. Josh Harris’s plans for the Commanders have sparked something in the eyes of fans they haven’t seen in years: Hope. And it all starts with the New Commanders Stadium.

The stadium, proposed at $3.8 billion, is a massive project to bring the stadium back home to DC. The current plan has the district providing for $1B, while the Commanders will fund the rest. Mayor Muriel Bowser made a gentle reminder of what the new Stadium means for the people of Washington.“Reminder: The RFK deal isn’t just a stadium — it’s jobs, housing, park space, a SportsPlex, and a new waterfront community. 180 acres of vacant land, activated. This week, we have the chance to make DC history together. We can’t let this window of opportunity close,” she said.

On Tuesday, July 29th, more than 500 people signed up to speak at the public hearing to decide the RFK site plan. The initial date for the council approval was meant to be July 15th. However, concerns among council members have delayed proceedings. The concerns in question mainly arise from the one billion dollar fund the district will provide for the stadium. After all, that’s taxpayers’ money. However, the people have not objected to the plans.

In fact, the support for the new stadium was immense. One fan from the hearing said, “We’re so excited that the ownership of the Commanders know how much we want them back and that they want to come back. Bring the Commanders back to Washington, DC.” The FedEx Stadium stands an hour away from the city, and fans have criticized the remote nature of it as well as the eccentric car-centric layout. “We shouldn’t be saddled with generations of parking and car infrastructure,” said one fan who couldn’t hide their frustration. While the stadium is proceeding with overwhelming support, Trump is not a huge fan of the changes happening with the franchise.

Donald Trump wants the “Redskins” back

Remember when the Commanders were called the Redskins? It wasn’t that long ago. The franchise had to retire the name after 87 years in 2020, and fans have had a mixed reaction to the change since then. Some fans have supported the change, citing the move as progressive and supporting minorities. Donald Trump has picked his side. He doesn’t like the “Commanders” name. During a press interaction in New Jersey in July, Trump opened up the closed doors once again. He addressed reporters, saying, “I wouldn’t have changed the name… it just doesn’t have the same ring to me.” 

Only winning a championship would change Trump’s narrative about the name change: “If they win, all of a sudden, the Commanders sound good.” Earlier, the POTUS had also made some controversial statements regarding Washington’s RFK Stadium deal. “I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,” he had added.

But now that the narrative is shifting, we are yet to see how Donald Trump will react to this public hearing and if he will still push the team for a name change.