The Washington Commanders continue trending upward. From the moment Josh Harris and his ownership group bought the Commanders in July 2023, business immediately picked up. Things went into overdrive during the 2024 season when Washington went 12-5 and enjoyed its best season in 33 years. The Commanders finished the season in the NFC championship, and, while they lost, the future couldn't be brighter.
Harris and his group have poured millions into improving Northwest Stadium and the team's headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia. Gone is the talk of how bad Northwest Stadium is, with the attention placed on the Commanders selling out their home stadium.
Speaking of business, Washington landed a major international deal on Monday, when it was revealed that the Commanders were one of three teams to receive international marketing rights in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of the NFL's Global Market Rights program.
Here's a statement from Harris:
"The Washington Commanders are excited to join the NFL's Global Markets Program and become one of the first teams to expand our marketing and fan engagement efforts into the UAE, an increasingly influential financial, economic and sports hub," Harris said. "This season, our fan base returned with passion, and we were reminded of the power of sports to galvanize and unite our community. Whether in the DMV or around the world, we always strive to create unforgettable experiences and memories for our fans, and look forward to being amongst the first to bring the passion and joy of NFL football to the UAE."
The Global Market Rights program launched in 2022 "to build brand awareness and fandom beyond the U.S., through fan engagement, events, commercial opportunities and NFL Flag development."
“The expansion of the Global Markets Program in 2025 reflects the NFL’s continued focus to grow the game and connect with fans on a global scale,” said NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business, Major Events & International Peter O'Reilly. “With more clubs entering the program and existing clubs adding to their global rights, and as the program expands to new markets, we are seeing strong momentum and impact in growing fandom worldwide together.”
As the NFL continues to expand, could the Commanders become the first NFL team to play in the UAE? With a player like quarterback Jayden Daniels, they are much more marketable than they have been in many, many years.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders land big international marketing rights in UAE
