Why naming Washington Commanders stadium after Trump suits President
The Washington Commanders potentially naming their NFL stadium after Donald Trump plays into the President’s proposition that “he is making America great again”.
The new DC stadium will sit where its predecessor sat, in view of the United States Capitol building and there have been reports of a potential Trump association, something the White House has described as a “beautiful” idea.
Professor Simon Chadwick says “Trump is increasingly turning to sport as a means to embellish his image and reputation,” adding that, “he’s already placed himself front and centre-stage of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, and similarly in playing politics around LA’s hosting of the 2028 Olympic Games.”
The Olympics fall just weeks before the next US election, and the President has openly stated he could move the Games. He has made similar remarks about the likes of Chicago and San Francisco hosting World Cup games when football’s showpiece is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Trump’s Washington Commanders Stadium?
“He’s recently attended both the Super Bowl and US Open tennis finals,” Prof Chadwick adds. “Such prominence is a call out to his core supporters, but also helps to reinforce his proposition that he is making America great again.
“It is no surprise to see him ‘encouraging’ officials in the capital to reference his name. This is not just a matter of ego, but also of building sociopolitical capital, especially in cities which historically may not have an especially strong base of Republican voters.
“Increasingly, Trump apparently wants to play the game, presumably encouraged by close allies, the likes of which includes Dana White, CEO of the UFC.”
The new stadium will be an indoor arena and will be able to house 65,000 fans following an estimated construction cost of $3.7bn.
It will be owned by the District of Columbia but the Washington Commanders – formerly the Redskins – will operate it once it opens in 2030.