White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that naming the new Washington Commanders stadium after President Trump is a “beautiful” idea and added that “it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible.”
ESPN is reporting that the president has floated the idea of naming the $3.7 billion stadium after himself and has sent “back-channel communications” to the group that owns the team.
Leavitt told the cable sports network that Trump Stadium would be a “beautiful name,” and a White House source also told ESPN that what the president wants “will probably happen.”
The source added that Trump would like the stadium to be named after him in similar fashion to the Green Bay Packer’s Lambeau Field, which is named in tribute to team founder, and long-time head coach Earl “Curly” Lambeau.
But unlike most other NFL teams, the Commanders team does not own naming rights in the case of this particular stadium deal.
The final decision on the name of the stadium apparently rests with the District of Columbia Council, which will lease the facility to the Commanders. The National Park Service also likely has a say since they own the federal government land on which the stadium will sit. The stadium is planned to open for business in 2030.
If Trump is adamant about the name of the stadium, he has a lot of leverage in a process that is ongoing over the project’s plans and implementation. But he does not have carte blanche on the idea.
The president is well known as a big football fan and is reportedly set to attend Sunday’s game between the Commanders and the Detroit Lions in honor of Veterans Day.
Washington Commanders President Mark Clouse expressed that he was honored to welcome Trump to the game. Clouse added that the team is “proud to participate in the NFL’s league-wide Salute to Service initiative.”
“We are honored to welcome President Trump to the game as we celebrate those who have served and continue to serve our country,” Clouse said. “The entire Commanders organization is proud to participate in the NFL’s league-wide Salute to Service initiative, recognizing the dedication and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans, active-duty service members, and their families this Sunday.”
Trump’s attendance at Sunday’s game will mark the first time in 47 years that a sitting president attended a regular season NFL game.
The last time was on October 2, 1978, when President Jimmy Carter attended the Redskins’ 9-5 win over the Dallas Cowboys at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.
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