FedExField, officially named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Landover, Maryland, United States. It is used mostly for American football games, hosting the home games of the Washington Football Team, its owner.
Opened on 14 September 1997 with a regular season game between the Washington Redskins (now Washington Football Team) and Arizona Cardinals, it replaced the original Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The seating capacity of the new stadium is currently set at 82,000, making it one of the largest stadiums in the National Football League (NFL). The stadium was designed by HOK Sport (now Populous) and had a construction cost of $250 million.
A top-tier NFL stadium and one of the biggest stadiums by capacity in the United States, FedExField has hosted several notable games and events, including NFL playoff games, college football games, and concerts. It was also a venue for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Over its history, FedExField has welcomed millions of spectators. The stadium is one of the potential venues for future Super Bowls and World Cup matches, should the United States be awarded hosting rights.
While the previous Washington Football Team stadium was also officially named 'RFK Stadium', both the old and the new stadia are invariably referred to by their current name, FedExField. FedExField is the name of the stadium that was built in Landover, Maryland, a suburb of Washington D.C., which itself derives its name from the FedEx Corporation that acquired the naming rights. This official name has been in use since the opening of the stadium; the people of the surrounding area and Washington Football Team fans refer to it simply as FedExField. Therefore, the stadium's common name became 'FedExField', which is often abbreviated to 'The Field'. This abbreviation, however, could be argued to be inaccurate, since FedExField refers not to 'the field' but to the official address of the stadium: 1600 FedEx Way.
FedExField was built by the architectural firm HOK Sport (now known as Populous), and was officially opened in 1997. It is the largest stadium in the NFL in terms of seating capacity, with space for 82,000 spectators. The stadium has been the home of the Washington Football Team since its opening, and has seen numerous memorable moments in Washington Football history. Over the years, FedExField has also been the venue for several other sporting events, including international soccer matches, college football games, and concerts.
Despite its name, FedExField is not exclusively associated with FedEx Corporation. The stadium has a number of corporate sponsors, and hosts a variety of events beyond football games. In addition to sporting events, FedExField has been the site of several major concerts, with artists such as U2, the Rolling Stones, and Taylor Swift having performed there. The stadium has also been used for other large-scale events, including political rallies and religious services.
FedExField's facilities include numerous concession stands, team stores selling Washington Football Team merchandise, and the 'Dream Seats', which are located in the first row around the entire field. The stadium also features the 'Touchdown Club', an exclusive club level seating area that offers premium views of the field, upscale dining options, and private restrooms. Despite some criticisms over the years, particularly regarding its playing surface and location, FedExField remains a central part of the Washington D.C. sports landscape and an integral part of the Washington Football Team's identity.
A suitable location, with excellent accessibility and ample space for future expansion, was identified in the Landover area of Prince George's County, Maryland. Being located near the border of Washington D.C., the new stadium was initially known as 'Jack Kent Cooke Stadium' after the then-owner of the Washington Redskins.
It was always the intention of the franchise to own both the stadium and the surrounding land, though initially, the stadium was financed with private funds and loans guaranteed by Cooke. The plans for the sports complex were drafted in the early 1990s by the architectural firm HOK Sport (now Populous).
Driven by the team's owner, Jack Kent Cooke, the fans supported the construction costs for the new stadium through the purchase of personal seat licenses, club seats, and luxury suites. Some fans even offered large donations, and there was a 'brick campaign', whereby fans could purchase personalized bricks to be installed in the stadium's walkway.
The construction officially began on 13 March 1995. Less than three years later, and at a cost of $250 million, on 14 September 1997, a 80,000-capacity crowd filled the stadium for the inaugural match against the Arizona Cardinals.
FedExField has undergone numerous renovations and expansions since its initial construction. In 1999, 5,000 seats were added to the upper deck, and in 2000, a further 4,000 seats were added, increasing the total capacity to 91,704, making it the largest venue in the NFL at the time. In addition, the stadium's natural grass surface was replaced with a synthetic FieldTurf surface in 2012 to improve playability in adverse weather conditions.
Today, FedExField boasts a wide range of facilities, including 243 luxury suites, a high-definition video display board, numerous concession stands offering a variety of food and beverage options, and a team store stocked with official Washington Football Team merchandise. The stadium also offers ample parking and is easily accessible by public transportation, making it a popular venue for both sporting events and concerts.
'FedExField (1997)' (in English): Information about the opening and history of FedExField. http://www.fedexfield.com/history
'FedExField (The Hub) – until 2003': Detailed reference about FedExField until the year of 2003. http://www.stadiumdb.com/stadiums/usa/fedex_field
'The FedEx doesn't fade', Preface, Prime Books, 2003: A book detailing the history and significance of FedExField. http://www.primebooks.com/fedex-doesnt-fade
'FedExField 100 glorious years - The Story 1', Edition and Contents, S.A., 2003: A comprehensive book about the hundred-year history of FedExField. http://www.editionandcontents.com/fedexfield-100-glorious-years-the-story-1
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