The Commanders would like you to forget about the past. Well, not all of the past. Just some of the past.
The present remains fair game, presumably. And, presently, concerns are being raised about fan access to training camp.
Via Sports Business Journal, the Washington Times recently looked at the reaction to the team’s decision to use a lottery system for dispensing tickets to practices at the facility in Ashburn.
Per the Times, fans had until July 13 to sign up for tickets, selecting from eight days on which public sessions will occur.
“I’ve never gone through a lottery to get an opportunity to go to training camp,” lifelong fan Tony Brula told the Times. “I put my name in and didn’t get in. It’s like another shot to [fans], after all we’ve been through with this franchise.”
The Commanders returned to their facility practice for camp after nearly a decade in Richmond. According to the Times, the Commanders and the Texans are the only two teams that use a lottery system. The Commanders, with eight open practices (four others are available only to season-ticket holders), rank near the bottom of the league in access to camp sessions.
According to the Times, the Jets have seven, the Patriots have six, and the Titans have two. The Jaguars, Raiders, and Eagles have no fans (or very few of them) at training-camp practices.
Commanders president Jason Wright told the Times in a statement that the team is committed to “delivering a personal and interactive experience” to fans while also giving the team an opportunity to “get into a rhythm.”
When it comes to making decisions that aren’t popular with fans, the Commanders have been in a solid rhythm for a while. More than 20 years, in all.