Commanders coach Ron Rivera sounds as excited as Commanders fans to have new ownership in Washington.
Rivera said today that the sale of the team from Dan Snyder to Josh Harris has boosted the team’s spirits, and that the players on the team are noticing how pumped the fans are as training camp opens.
“You can already feel the impact,” Rivera said. “A lot has to do with the reaction from the fan base, more so than anything else. Our guys have also felt it. They’ve felt it because of the fan base. It’s neat, you look outside and see the setup for fans, and the guys are really getting into this. It’s a unique feeling. It’s exciting. I’m fired up about the opportunity as we go forward.”
Snyder owned the team for nearly a quarter century, and during that stint the team was one of the worst in the NFL on the field, as well as one of the least successful at attracting fans, as a once-proud fan base began to tune the team out, and a once-packed stadium became littered with empty seats.
Now Rivera is hoping that a new owner gives the team a new direction, and gives the fan base new hope.