The Washington Commanders need to finalize a deal with President Donald Trump before they can construct a new stadium. Trump holds plenty of leverage in any negotiations, and an NFL insider thinks the team could have to make a few drastic changes to appease Trump.
On Sunday, Trump said that he would not have changed the team’s name from “Redskins” to “Commanders.” However, the 47th President didn’t clarify if he was open to changing the name back to “Redskins.”
“Well, you want me to make a controversial statement? I would,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t have changed the name. It just doesn’t have the same, it doesn’t have the same ring to me. But, you know, winning can make everything sound good. So if they win, all of a sudden the Commanders sounds good, but I wouldn’t have changed the name.”
The Washington Commanders need Donald Trump’s help
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On Monday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that the Commanders might have to do anything from naming the new stadium after Trump to changing the team name to strike a deal with the businessman-turned-commander-in-chief in order to build the project at RFK Stadium.
“The prospect of a change comes at a time when the Commanders could be going to Trump to help get D.C. to get a deal done that would allow a new facility to be built at the site of RFK Stadium,” Florio wrote. “Which means that, if they ultimately seek his help, they may have to do something in return.
“That something could include naming the stadium after the 45th/47th president. It could mean re-naming the team. It could be both. It could be more.”
The Commanders don’t hold the cards here, and Trump knows he has a chance to help his legacy by what he asks for in return for his help with the new stadium. Given Trump’s animosity toward league owners, his price won’t likely be cheap.
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