Commanders Announce $40M FedExField Renovations for 'Significant' Stadium Upgrades

The Josh Harris era will begin for the Washington Commanders with $40 million in renovations and upgrades to FedExField.

The Commanders announced the investment on Thursday.

In addition to general maintenance, the $40 million will go toward new ticket scanners, the addition of three new "themed suites" and updated Commanders signage around the stadium, the team said.

These renovations follow the team's March announcement that FedExField will be use a new video boards and a new sound system next season.

Commanders senior vice president of operations and guest experience Trista Langdon said there will be continued changes to the stadium during the season, including "a re-imagined pregame ritual."

The Commanders first announced this ritual Monday, describing the new pregame program as an "interactive" show beginning 20 minutes before kickoff.

Additionally, Commanders vice president of guest experience Joey Coby-Begovich said earlier this month that the Commanders' dance team, marching band and mascot Major Tuddy could be involved in "new on-field entertainment enhancements," per Sports Business Journal's Wes Sanderson.

These updates represent continued rebranding for the Commanders, who are hoping to seize on enthusiasm regarding the team's new ownership in order to improve last season's NFL-worst attendance numbers.

Washington training camp received its highest attendance in at least 10 years this July, per ESPN's John Keim, and the team has started selling "standing room only" tickets for the Commanders' home opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

Harris, the leader of the group that purchased the Commanders from the Snyder family, said in an open letter published in the Washington Post in July that he wanted to bring the energy he felt "as a kid" in the franchise's former Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium to FedExField.

This investment in the stadium could be the first step toward that, while second will be for the team to put together a winning record for the first time since 2016.