The Redskins Are in Rehab
September 19, 2018
By Rich Rogers
The 2018 Washington Redskins are 1-1. That’s not bad, one would think, but considering they lost to the Indianapolis Colts, it’s not what it looks like. The Redskins were beat down in every phase of the game. As I’m writing this, I am numb. This is not a piece that has heavy statistics or analysis, but one that comes from a native Washingtonian, born and raised in the Petworth neighborhood of northwest Washington DC. My wife and I were at the Indianapolis Colts game. We bought seats for the home opener long before the game was played. We paid $160.00 per ticket for great seats 15 rows from the field. This was a bargain considering what we’ve paid for in the past. After the Cardinals game where the Redskins were dominant in all facets, I figured we’d outsmarted everyone else. We were wrong.
The Redskins have made it no secret that they were focusing on the “fan experience”. I really didn’t know what that meant. After all, they had already added cupholders for each seat so I wouldn’t have to put my beer or soda on the ground when I needed to. My wife and I arrived at Fed Ex field without incident at around 10:45am. We purchased a “purple” parking pass which is the closest parking lot to the entrance of the stadium. We paid $80.00. Some may think this is excessive, but actually, the purple lot had more space and didn’t have the raunchiness of the “green lot”, where fans can take up to 8 parking spots for tailgating (yes, I’ve counted). Before entering the stadium, we were $400.00 in. Actually, this is not bad considering what we’ve paid in the past. At first glance, there was nothing different about my stadium experience. It looked “same ole, same ole”. But I’d heard about some new food additions, so I tried a new pizza vendor, and I paid $16.50 for one slice of pizza and a pint of beer. I thought the new pizza vendor would improve my experience, but it didn’t. It was lukewarm and tough, so that’s fail number one.
Fed Ex Field is an antiquated edifice. It’s the “flip phone” of NFL stadiums. Sure, you can still make calls, but its other functions are limited. This is a 30-year-old stadium, and I think Snyder gets a bit of undue blame for its lack of amenities. I’ve been there many times, and there’s not much you can do to the stadium itself. I will say that the concourses are dark and unattractive. It’s walk is dank and dismal. But the greatest fail is what you see when you walk through the tunnel to your seat. I have to admit, the playing field looked great. There were no brown spots or gaps in the field. It looked like a professional playing surface. Here’s the thing about Fed Ex: somebody, maybe Snyder, is going through extraordinary lengths to convince fans that this stadium is of NFL caliber. It’s not. The experience is not. It’s like hypnosis. But I can’t fully blame Snyder because the stadium is just not good. It’s not.
I won’t speak much on the game itself, because that speaks for itself, but I was astonished on the number of empty seats, most notably in each end zone. My wife and I sat in section 102, the so called “Dream Seats”. As I looked out, I saw a good number of Colts fans, but a sparse end zone and upper level. I was in shock. The Redskins beat down the Arizona Cardinals, so I thought this stadium, albeit antiquated, would be rockin’. It was weirdly quiet. Fans weren’t rabid. They didn’t cheer as if the Redskins had truly turned the corner. The vibe was one of “here we go again”. The enthusiasm of this fan base is so fragile that after the first drive where the Colts gutted the Redskins defense, the mood was tepid, mistrusting, and humbled. It was the “here we go again” attitude. After 14-3, the fans were done, at least where I was. The Redskins needed to jump out to a big lead to keep the belief alive. So, as I was second guessing my emotional investment as the Redskins trailed by two scores, here comes the T-shirt launch guns. I was in the lower bowl, but how is that going to get the upper decks involved and engaged? It was pathetic. I did like the player introductions and I loved that they didn’t show the same tired 80’s highlights over and over again. They actually focused on the fans, highlighting tailgating and fan appreciation. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough. The Redskins lost, and got beat down at that. I forgot all the hoopla and fan experience “stuff” that they were desperately trying to promote.
Nothing takes the place of winning. With a win and a 2-0 start, who cares about traffic, t-shirts and $9.00 beers? But a loss made me care. Traffic wasn’t bad, because I watched Redskins fans leave the stadium, as they traditionally do, when things got bad in the 2nd half.
The Redskins have finally admitted that they have a problem. They lied about sellout crowds. They lied about a season ticket waiting list. Heck, they call me every week to offer reasonably price lower bowl seats. But let’s be real, only winning will turn the tide, and I ain’t talking about 8-8 or 9-7 seasons. I’m talking about back to back 11-5 or 12-4 seasons. And even then, it’s a crapshoot. Redskins fans ain’t what they used to be. DC ain’t what it used to be. But I’d love to see what a double-digit win season would do for this fanbase.