FedExField
Encyclopedia
FedExField is a football
stadium
located in an unincorporated area
near the Capital Beltway
(I-495
) in Prince George's County
, Maryland
, United States
, near the site of the old Capital Centre (later called USAir Arena). FedExField is the home of the Washington Redskins
football
team. With seating for 82,000, FedEx Field is now the second largest venue in the NFL in terms of regular capacity. Up until 2010, FedEx Field held 91,704 patrons and was the largest venue in the league.
sought to build a new stadium on the grounds adjacent to Laurel Park Racecourse along Whiskey Bottom
and Brock Bridge roads. Lack of parking facilities and support prompted a second site selection.
The stadium opened in 1997 as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, in honor of the recently deceased owner of the team, and the stadium site was known as Raljon
. Before the stadium was built, the Wilson Farm was there. The name "Raljon" is a portmanteau of Jack Kent Cooke
's sons' first names - "Ralph" and "John." Notably, Cooke was even able to register Raljon with the United States Postal Service
as a legal alternate address for the 20785 zip code
of Landover, Maryland
, in which the stadium is located, and went to some lengths to require media to use Raljon in dateline
s from the stadium.
A special exit, Exit 16 (Arena Drive), was built from Interstate 495
, the Capital Beltway.
After the team and stadium were purchased by Daniel Snyder
, the naming rights were sold to the FedEx
corporation in November 1999 for an average of $7.6 million per year; FedEx Field replaced Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
in Washington, D.C., as the home of the Redskins. FedEx Field has not had a football season in which the stadium failed to sell out its non-premium tickets. Even though it's the NFL's largest stadium, the waiting list for Redskins season tickets has reached over 30 years . Although the Redskins have never sold out the entire stadium, the team has not had a game blacked out on local television
since 1972 (when home game broadcasts were banned outright) because it does not count "premium club level seating" when calculating sellouts (their sellout streak dates to 1965, eight years before the new blackout rules were implemented).
For the past six years at FedEx Field, Redskins fans have set the regular-season home paid attendance record. In 2005, the team drew a record 716,998 fans overall. The December 30, 2007, 27–6 win against the Dallas Cowboys
was the most watched game in Redskins history, with 90,910 fans in the stands to see Washington clinch a playoff spot.
The August 28, 2004 BCA Classic between the Virginia Tech Hokies
and USC Trojans
attracted 91,665 spectators.
The stadium has five levels - the Lower Level, the Club Level, the Lower and Upper Suite Levels, and the Upper Level. The Lower, Club, and Upper Levels are all named after important figures of the Redskins, NFL, and Washington, D.C.
area. The Lower Level is officially named "George Preston Marshall
Lower Level", The Club is named "Joe Gibbs
Club Level, and The Upper Level is called "Pete Rozelle
Upper Level." The Suite Levels have over 200 suite, lounge, and Owner's Club luxury boxes.
, as well as the 2004 Black Coaches Association Classic between the University of Southern California Trojans and Virginia Tech. The stadium has hosted numerous other events as well, including many big-time concerts.
FedEx Field is not well known as a soccer venue, as D.C. United
of Major League Soccer
elected to remain at RFK Stadium after the new stadium's opening. As Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, it hosted four preliminary matches and one quarterfinal doubleheader in the 1999 Women's World Cup
. During the July 2005 World Series of Football, D.C. United hosted Chelsea F.C.
there; the stadium did not sell out, but the 31,473 spectators represented D.C. United's third-highest ever home attendance. On August 9, 2009, D.C. United hosted another international friendly against Real Madrid
at FedEx Field. On July 30, 2011, Manchester United
ended its 2011 Summer Tour with a 2-1 win over F.C. Barcelona at FedEx Field in front of nearly 82,000 fans. This represented the largest crowd for the sport in D.C.-area history.
Other notable events include:
s rankings of "NFL Fan Value Experience" rated FedEx Field 28th out of 31 NFL stadiums. In January 2007, The Washington Post
reported that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder
was meeting with Washington, D.C., officials about building a new stadium in order to return the team to the District.
In the 2011 offseason, nearly 10,000 seats were removed from the upper deck to reduce capacity to 82,000, making FedEx Field the second largest venue in the NFL.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
located in an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
near the Capital Beltway
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
(I-495
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
) in Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, near the site of the old Capital Centre (later called USAir Arena). FedExField is the home of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team. With seating for 82,000, FedEx Field is now the second largest venue in the NFL in terms of regular capacity. Up until 2010, FedEx Field held 91,704 patrons and was the largest venue in the league.
History
FedEx Field was built as a replacement for the Redskins' prior venue, RFK Stadium. In 1994, Jack Kent CookeJack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke was a Canadian entrepreneur and former owner of the Washington Redskins , the Los Angeles Lakers , and the Los Angeles Kings , and built The Forum in Inglewood, California and FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.-Early career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cooke moved with his family to...
sought to build a new stadium on the grounds adjacent to Laurel Park Racecourse along Whiskey Bottom
Whiskey Bottom Road
Whiskey Bottom Road is a historic road north of Laurel, Maryland that traverses Anne Arundel and Howard Counties.-Route description:Whiskey Bottom Road runs through North Laurel, Maryland starting at Maryland Route 198 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The road continues westward across U.S...
and Brock Bridge roads. Lack of parking facilities and support prompted a second site selection.
The stadium opened in 1997 as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, in honor of the recently deceased owner of the team, and the stadium site was known as Raljon
Raljon, Maryland
Raljon, Maryland was a place name used from 1997 to 1999 for the area of Landover, Maryland, around Jack Kent Cooke Stadium , where the Washington Redskins play....
. Before the stadium was built, the Wilson Farm was there. The name "Raljon" is a portmanteau of Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke was a Canadian entrepreneur and former owner of the Washington Redskins , the Los Angeles Lakers , and the Los Angeles Kings , and built The Forum in Inglewood, California and FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.-Early career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cooke moved with his family to...
's sons' first names - "Ralph" and "John." Notably, Cooke was even able to register Raljon with the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
as a legal alternate address for the 20785 zip code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
of Landover, Maryland
Landover, Maryland
Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...
, in which the stadium is located, and went to some lengths to require media to use Raljon in dateline
Dateline
A dateline is a brief piece of text included in news articles that describes where and when the story occurred, or was written or filed, though the date is often omitted. In the case of articles reprinted from wire services, the distributing organization is also included...
s from the stadium.
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
, the Capital Beltway.
After the team and stadium were purchased by Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
, the naming rights were sold to the FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
corporation in November 1999 for an average of $7.6 million per year; FedEx Field replaced Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
in Washington, D.C., as the home of the Redskins. FedEx Field has not had a football season in which the stadium failed to sell out its non-premium tickets. Even though it's the NFL's largest stadium, the waiting list for Redskins season tickets has reached over 30 years . Although the Redskins have never sold out the entire stadium, the team has not had a game blacked out on local television
NFL on television
The television rights to broadcast National Football League games are the most lucrative and expensive rights of any American sport. It was television that brought professional football into prominence in the modern era after World War II...
since 1972 (when home game broadcasts were banned outright) because it does not count "premium club level seating" when calculating sellouts (their sellout streak dates to 1965, eight years before the new blackout rules were implemented).
For the past six years at FedEx Field, Redskins fans have set the regular-season home paid attendance record. In 2005, the team drew a record 716,998 fans overall. The December 30, 2007, 27–6 win against the Dallas Cowboys
2007 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2007 Dallas Cowboys season was the 48th season for the team in the National Football League. The Cowboys finished the regular season tied for the best record in the NFC , and earned a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs...
was the most watched game in Redskins history, with 90,910 fans in the stands to see Washington clinch a playoff spot.
The August 28, 2004 BCA Classic between the Virginia Tech Hokies
2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in its inaugural year in the conference, running off a streak of eight straight wins to end the regular season after a 2-2 start. Tech finished 10th in the final Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record...
and USC Trojans
2004 USC Trojans football team
The 2004 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2004-2005 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Although now vacated for breaking NCAA rules, the team won the 2004 BCS National Championship by winning the 2005 Orange Bowl, that year's BCS National...
attracted 91,665 spectators.
Design
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area. The Lower Level is officially named "George Preston Marshall
George Preston Marshall
George Preston Marshall was the owner and president of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League from 1932 until his death in 1969.-Contributions:...
Lower Level", The Club is named "Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
Club Level, and The Upper Level is called "Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
Upper Level." The Suite Levels have over 200 suite, lounge, and Owner's Club luxury boxes.
Notable events
FedEx Field hosts the annual Prince George's Classic college football game, which is a game usually between two historically black universities. It has hosted several other college football games as well, including the 1998 game between the University of Notre Dame and the United States Naval AcademyNavy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
, as well as the 2004 Black Coaches Association Classic between the University of Southern California Trojans and Virginia Tech. The stadium has hosted numerous other events as well, including many big-time concerts.
FedEx Field is not well known as a soccer venue, as D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
elected to remain at RFK Stadium after the new stadium's opening. As Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, it hosted four preliminary matches and one quarterfinal doubleheader in the 1999 Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup 1999
-Teams:16 teams participated in the final tournament. The teams were:-Squads:For a list of all squads that played in the final tournament, see 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup squads.-Match officials:...
. During the July 2005 World Series of Football, D.C. United hosted Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
there; the stadium did not sell out, but the 31,473 spectators represented D.C. United's third-highest ever home attendance. On August 9, 2009, D.C. United hosted another international friendly against Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
at FedEx Field. On July 30, 2011, Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
ended its 2011 Summer Tour with a 2-1 win over F.C. Barcelona at FedEx Field in front of nearly 82,000 fans. This represented the largest crowd for the sport in D.C.-area history.
Other notable events include:
- October 23, 1997 - The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
performed during their Bridges To Babylon TourBridges to Babylon TourThe Bridges to Babylon Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones in support of their then-latest album Bridges to Babylon, followed by 1999's No Security Tour.-History:...
. - November 14, 1998 - Notre Dame defeated Navy 30–0.
- July 1, 1999 - The United States Women's National Soccer Team defeated the German Women's National Team 3–2 in the FIFA Women's World Cup 1999FIFA Women's World Cup 1999-Teams:16 teams participated in the final tournament. The teams were:-Squads:For a list of all squads that played in the final tournament, see 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup squads.-Match officials:...
quarterfinals. - January 8, 2000 - The Washington Redskins1999 Washington Redskins seasonThe 1999 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record from 1998.-NFL Draft:The New Orleans Saints traded all of their draft picks to the Washington Redskins for running back Ricky Williams, the first time ever that an NFL team has had only one pick in a...
defeated the Detroit Lions1999 Detroit Lions seasonThe 1999 Detroit Lions season was their 70th in the league. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 5–11 and qualified for the playoffs, where they lost to the Washington Redskins in the Wild Card round...
27–13 in the first and, as of 2010, only NFL playoff game at FedExField. - May 28, 2000 - The stadium played host to the HFStivalHFStivalThe HFStival is an annual Washington, D.C. / Baltimore, Maryland rock festival. Held every summer from 1990 through 2006 by radio station WHFS, and annually since 2010 in commemoration of the now-defunct station's legacy, the HFStival was at its peak the largest yearly music festival on the East...
. - October 4, 2002 - The Rolling Stones returned to perform during their Licks TourLicks TourThe Licks Tour was a lengthy, worldwide concert tour held during 2002 and 2003 by The Rolling Stones. Its start was somewhat concurrent with the compilation album Forty Licks, which was released on October 1, 2002....
. - December 29, 2002 - The Washington Redskins2002 Washington Redskins seasonThe 2002 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 8–8 record from 2001.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...
defeated the rival Dallas Cowboys2002 Dallas Cowboys season-Offseason:Despite an off-season filled with promise, the season would again prove to be a disaster. Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator and head coach Bruce Coslet was brought in to run the offense for Dallas. Even though he was dismissed by Cincinnati, his history of high-powered...
, 20–14, in Darrell GreenDarrell GreenDarrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
's final game. The game also broke a 10-game losing streak to the Cowboys. - July 18, 2003 - MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Limp BizkitLimp BizkitLimp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
, Linkin ParkLinkin ParkLinkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
, DeftonesDeftonesDeftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
& MudvayneMudvayneMudvayne is an American heavy metal band. Their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate visual appearance, which has included face and body paint, masks and uniforms...
performed during The 2003 Summer Sanitarium TourSummer Sanitarium TourThe Summer Sanitarium Tour was Metallica's packaged tour in the Summer of the year 2000. Taking place in "stadiums, arenas, and yes, even speedways," the tour was one of the top grossing tours of the Summer. It was also the final tour for long-time bassist Jason Newsted who quit the band in January...
. - September 13, 2003 - Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
& The E Street BandE Street BandThe E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
performed during The Rising TourThe Rising TourThe Rising Tour was a lengthy, worldwide, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place in arenas and stadiums over 2002 and 2003...
. (Sold out) - August 28, 2004 - USCUniversity of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
defeated Virginia Tech in the BCA Classic 24–13, before a sellout crowd of 91,665. - November 5, 2006 - Redskins defeated the Cowboys in, perhaps, the greatest finish in FedExField history, with Nick Novak's 47 yard field goal with :00 on the game clock.
- December 2, 2007 - Commemorative game in memory of Sean TaylorSean TaylorSean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
. The Redskins2007 Washington Redskins seasonThe 2007 Washington Redskins season was the team's 75th season, and saw the team achieve a record of 9-7 and a playoff appearance. This was an improvement over the 2006 season in which they went 5-11 and finished last in the NFC East....
lost to Bills2007 Buffalo Bills seasonThe 2007 Buffalo Bills season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and their 48th season overall. They finished their 2007 season with a record of 7–9 and tied their 7–9 record in 2006 but failed to qualify for the playoffs, and continues a playoff appearance drought...
(17–16). - August 1, 2009 - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
performed during his Summer Live '09Summer Live '09The Summer Live '09 tour by Paul McCartney was his fourth North American concert tour of the 21st century. The tour began on July 11, 2009 at the Halifax Common public parkland, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and closed at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on August 19, 2009.McCartney performed...
Tour. - September 29, 2009 - U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
performed during their 360° TourU2 360° TourThe U2 360° Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon, the tour visited stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It was named for a stage configuration that allowed the audience to almost completely surround the stage...
, with MuseMuse (band)Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
as their opening act. - September 6, 2010 - Boise State defeated Virginia Tech 33-30, before a crowd of 86,587.
- November 20, 2010 - Penn State defeated Indiana 41-24, before a crowd of 78,790.
- July 30, 2011 - Manchester United F.C.Manchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
defeated FC BarcelonaFC BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
2-1, before a crowd of 81,807, part of 2011 World Football Challenge2011 World Football ChallengeThe 2011 World Football Challenge was the second World Football Challenge event, a series of friendly football matches played in the United States and Canada in July and August 2011.- Participants :...
.
Criticisms and potential replacement
Many fans feel FedEx Field does not compare favorably with RFK Stadium. Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
s rankings of "NFL Fan Value Experience" rated FedEx Field 28th out of 31 NFL stadiums. In January 2007, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
was meeting with Washington, D.C., officials about building a new stadium in order to return the team to the District.
In the 2011 offseason, nearly 10,000 seats were removed from the upper deck to reduce capacity to 82,000, making FedEx Field the second largest venue in the NFL.