Hear From Commanders Owner Josh Harris | Commanders vs. Patriots Pregame (8-25-24) p

hey Josh first game at Commander field there's clearly a lot of excitement new quarterback new coach all that how eager are you just to get this thing started let's go uh no I'm I'm eager I me it's so fun to be back uh all the progress we made uh since last season I mean think about it new coach uh new GM new a lot of new front office people new coaches new players new quarterback uh I know you all toured uh the facilities so just a lot going on and a lot of really positive things but ready to ready to get going obviously not a lot of things done to the stadium here but there was news in the past week the city con contracted with a consultant to work on maybe getting you guys back to RFK can you give us an update on where things are Stadium wise yeah we're working like super hard right I mean it's taking up a lot of my own mind space to find our next home but uh and as you know we have uh conversations going with multiple jurisdictions and not a lot really to say about it per se other than you know as you peel the onion things get more and more detailed more and more advanced I mean you're aware of some of the things going on in DC and the Congressional support we're uh hoping to get the Senate to buy into that also uh probably after the election uh so we'll have to you know obviously I'll leave it to you all or other pundits to polit uh predict political uh action but uh a lot of lot of good stuff going on and very positive but not a lot to share why will that be after the election for you why is your focus after the election yeah I just don't think so if you look at what's happening in the Senate realistically and now I'm really getting out there's not a lot happening right everyone's focused on the election so um this is the kind of thing that would that you know that would have to be part of a series of uh bills that would you know go through in the lame duck session so it's not really realistic to think that's going to happen before the election if the RFK Bill fails would you commit to another legislative effort to get DC on the table or would you be open to making a decision before that yeah I think um I'm hoping that we can um get some action before the change to the next Senate and Congress and administration because I think that's when you know all bets are I don't know the answer is it's very hard to predict what that looks like so ideally um since we have a lot of stuff lined up right now what happen in the lamb Duck Session but again now you're really predicting the inter workings of Washington how How firm is that people throw out the 2030 date for when you want it open How firm is that um in terms of when you you know yeah it's a it's a Target I think it's a realistic Target I mean I wouldn't say that again like there's uh you know a lot there's political things that need to occur there's land zoning and a whole lot of other things a lot of it is not within our control so there's no way to predict a specific date but I think that's a reasonable uh Target I'm curious you know you've been around J a little bit I'm curious your thoughts on him and how different the vibe is around the franchise now as opposed to last year yeah look I'm I'm super pumped that we uh that Jaden is with us uh I'm very excited about the pick I mean look you all watch what I watch right I mean you see I mean he hasn't been on the field all that much but you see how we move down the field uh different level uh plus uh him as a person as a human being as a worker you know earliest at the training facility latest League real teammate real leader real athleticism and just a great person to be around so I think that um you know I'm very very uh optimistic and excited about watching him this season with the changes you guys have made this offseason just to this Stadium I mean what was your first reaction as you kind of walk through and saw all these yeah I think I'm I'm very pumped to see uh the new everything right the new suets the new mini Mars uh you know the frictionless market Mars the easier Ingress all of it um new paint uh and you know the tunnel Club all of it um new food although I uh the the the mac and cheese was a little much for me today I'm not going to lie but uh but on the other hand I also uh was wandering around planning next season's Capital project so I I think we got more to do and uh really makes me h a strange thing right usually it's strange when you're spending lots of money but I I really get get excited about fixing the place up for our fans and um you know making it I mean as I said when we uh bought the team bought the club you know you're inviting people into your house and you you don't want to have an old couch uh you know finishes that are crumbling and all that so I think that I'm looking forward to uh continuing to make a lot of progress you know right now I mean obviously now that the season's starting it's all going to happen uh next year but we're going to get started for next year now you been out at at training camp practices what's just been your impression of the overall tone um and sort of the culture that qu has started to build over there yeah people are having fun uh people are committed they're having fun uh you've got um Dan um obviously is very intense but he's uh building a culture of you know everyone being on the same page having the same goals same objectives and he he gamifies things and uh a lot of optimism a lot of excitement uh you know people uh you know all the Vets uh showed up at the uh you know at an optional uh veteran uh mini camp you know it doesn't really happen so uh you know it's it's a totally it's a great Vibe and a different vibe and uh people are just ready to get going Josh you've also made a lot of uh upgrades at back and Ashburn at The Practice Facility um what are you kind of see with that in terms of building new is that going to be is that still tied to what goes on here with the state or without a separate one um you know look we're just starting to do a lot of planning there but again um I'd say yes and no I mean obviously we're in uh lot of choices to be made and if we end up with u um you know Stadium one jurisdiction you know there's advantages to disadv and disadv we're we're we're the a DMV right it's there three jurisdictions but on the other hand um you know so it's tied in some sense uh but uh you know I'm sort of um undergo the same process there which is like what what can we fix next and and obviously uh the player Lounge uh and you know and the the old was great it was harmonious for me to just watch that old the high school Turf go up from uh 1980 Something and get rolled up uh and a ball but there's a lot I mean there's an enormous amount to do there I mean obviously we need to do a lot better there so um you know we're going to keep working on that as well but um now that the season's on it's going to get pushed also but you'll see just continuous Improvement at both locations and uh in terms of the football side obviously tons of changes with uh from Adam on on down s Jason Wright's moving on what other changes do you kind of see coming that you want to get to and what sort of your timeline for what yeah look I think that uh obviously um we're looking for a new president uh and I'm you know that's you know my most important job as managing partner is um find finding the coach finding the GM finding the president so president's super important and um you know I'm really engaged in it uh and personally leading it and going back to uh you know talking to search firms and talking to candidates and all that so uh and I'm obviously you know I obviously wish Jason did an amazing job uh for us transitioning you came in during uh previous ownership uh transition the franchise through a very uh difficult time period and uh welcome us and did an and did and continues to an amazing job for us so I wish him well uh so that's like the next area of focus good evening Josh can you uh share a little bit of of the decision to remove the Shawn Taylor Memorial and commission a new statute to be built in the future yeah I um I think that honoring um our alumni uh and obviously Washington football the glor of Washington football three Super Bowls we have a lot uh but Johan Taylor is particularly important for obvious reasons and I wanted to uh make sure that he had a first class uh Memorial first class exhibit um and so we've been working closely with the Taylor family and uh came to the decision jointly that it was probably time to look for something new and uh we'll be considering that over the next season with the family and so I was uh you know it's but it's part of a bigger picture right which is that in the NFL I mean if you're in NFL the the fraternity of NFL players right so if I were an NFL player um I would look at um you know how other we have an incredible number of um people that were really good and so we're trying to embrace them all but Sean Taylor particular and then your your history as a lifelong fan of the of the team before you were an owner of the team is any part of that inside of you motivating you to kind of do some of these improvements that you're doing massively uh you know I some of my early memories were um of Wasington football uh and walking into RFK and I actually heard the stadium moving I was there I lived through all that right so I uh was there when uh we drafted uh darl green and art Monk and Joe Gibbs came in and went 0 and six and Billy Kilmer and sunny jerkens said I was there for all that so um I'm incredibly motivated to bring it back and um you know I think what I said earlier was that when um you know I've obviously invested in Sports assets um you know but when I um first walked into uh you know Commander Stadium you know I definitely was more emotional and so this is emotional for me you know it's not just business it's about the city the franchise the fans and uh doing what's right to bring the team back to where it needs to be Mr Harris as you all are making upgrades to the current Stadium um are there any other organizations you're looking at across the sports world is kind of best in class or best practices that you all are leveraging yeah so every time we go to an NFL stadium or uh a new NBA Stadium or uh a new um you I went to Tottenham Stadium which is you know both a you know obviously a Premier League club and European football club but also hosts NFL games um you know we are looking at everything that's going on there and so um I can assure you that when we you build our new home uh we will be availing oursel of all the uh modern um uh things that are going on like for example I visited Sofi um I'm making my own business to walk around uh with uh the ownership group or with the CR with the facilities manager and hear everything that's going on whether it be um where the Clippers are playing which is new whether it's Sofi whether it's um you know the New Vegas Stadium even the Prem leag Club stadiums and so there's a lot of knowledge out there this is a an area of a lot of technology in terms of Premium it's constantly changing terms of Wi-Fi electronics and you know how to uh emphasize the game and so we have a lot of decisions to make and uh I can assure you that we're going to be really try to be as thoughtful as we can about it and of course we're going to look at everything that's out there with a new coach new GM new quarterback this season going into 2024 what are your expectations and what does a successful season look like yeah so I'm focused on our long-term goals which is I want to be elite and uh playing deep into the playoffs or competing for Super Bowls season in and season out and um you know I'm focused on building uh and and I think this will be a better season than last year across the board I think we're going to be obviously the identity that Dan and Adam have been talking about you know of um you know the team uh is from Center in terms of us being competitive of uh being uh you know punishing of competing at the end and obviously you know obviously we the record was dismal last year and we we better do better than that um but like really uh um I think this is going to be a way better season for all those things and a lot of the intangibles Jaden uh continu developing hopefully into what we think and all hope that and know that he can be and so um intangibles and then you're you should see Improvement across the board on everything uh whether that I I've learned a long time ago in sports not to make like bold predictions so I will not uh this is sports uh and um I'll leave that to uh the uh the betters in Vegas and other things people who are made better at making predictions than I am but uh you know for sure we're all going to have a much funner time Josh um at your with your other teams you all were able to eventually acquire a Difference Maker a significant difference maker how does that buy a franchise time to kind of fill out the rest of the roster the rest of the team even if you struggle in year one or year two yeah look I think when you have a Difference Maker um ultimately um you're going to see Improvement in the team and um obviously I mean each Sport's different um certainly um um you know in the other sports um you know there's only so there's only so if you have a league MVP on your roster you're not you're going to be pretty good you know uh so I think that um you know in the in the case of some of the other franchises we're really now at the point where we're trying to win championships uh and it's not our regular season is um less important for us I think here we're a little earlier than that but I think certainly if Jaden turns into you know what we all think he can be I mean that is the key position in the NFL and obviously um he'll move us forward and what have you're have you seen him in your interactions with him during OTAs during camp and during this spring and summer yeah he's he's great I mean he is uh down to earth humble um committed um you know very genuine um show easy to be around I mean I really can't say enough good things about Jaden and even with I mean obviously um and sort of I think works well with his teammates um you know with me with Dan and just has an easy way about him and uh really uh really uh communicates with everyone so I think that uh he's he seems unique and um you know all any anyone all these difference makers I mean and you ask me about other but like they're unique right they're ends of one and um you know I'm hoping that I mean Jaden has a lot of potential to be one of those you guys have expressed interest in hosting a future NFL draft here in DC I'm just wondering what your vision for that would be and what that could do for for football and for the team yeah I think we're going to get that done I mean we're talking to the league about it uh it's a question of timing and it's going to be a few years off they plan away in advance and I mean listen think about the idea of having and I'm not breaking news here because we don't it's not done yet but think about a draft on the mall or whatever and how that would be for the city of Washington for the NFL so everyone sees that and uh and so obviously there's a lot of complexity to it with uh you know the park service and now I'm lifting the covers a little but uh you know there's things that need to get done but I think that um I I believe that it will happen and uh it's a question of when um and so yeah it'll be great I mean it' be super fun to do that here and I think great for the country as well and great for the NFL and then training camp is the other one some teams take it on the road some teams don't what have your interactions been like with Dan has he expressed a preference and do you have one yeah look I I think that um Dan's preference I think is to be a from where the um you know the main training away from the training ground get away come together uh and so I think uh as you're aware there's some things that we're working on but I think that uh you can do that in lots of different ways you can do it at a permanent home you can do that on a season in season out basis um and so uh we have some options but um I think that's his preference it makes sense to me Josh as an owner do do you operate differently sport to sport like an executive obviously would build a roster differently but depending on the sport do you find yourself acting that way with hockey basketball football yeah so um I'm pretty focused on um the command ERS and the NBA and I have partners that I work with on the other sports um and look I think the fundamentals are the same which is you hire the best talent uh you hire the best coach the best GM uh and they hire coaches underneath them and then uh you you hold them accountable you ask lots of questions you make sure you're super knowledgeable and they're communicating with you but then you let them do their jobs right and so I you know my my Approach as an owner is to do do it that way I don't want to be you know kind of controlling you know you know roster decisions you know I mean obviously if I think something you know my job is to keep it you know on the road right like if I think someone's doing something that really doesn't make sense I'm not going to do it but by and large you know that's their job and just because you know I was I was I'm a great business person I built uh you know a big company doesn't mean that I'm going to be better than Adam Peters Peters at picking a roster right so I defer but hold people accountable for their decisions and you know obviously and so I think that that really is the same across Sports I mean obviously the nuances between there's lots of nuances between the different sports uh there's different cvas different you know Sports have hard cops not hard caps uh you know certainly the number of players in the NBA is much smaller uh and there there's lots of nuances we go into but by and large um that sort of approach is is what I follow across the boards and you've made a pretty clear throughout that the name's not a priority right now is there any research that you have being done to see if the name is resonating with fans more than it was initially or is that something that matters to you at all if it is growing in popularity it does matter I just think that um and and certainly um like we've been very clear we can't for obvious reasons the old name can't come back but um right now we're focused on things that unify the team around uh our football team right and unify the city around our football team and so you the first objective is we got to start winning football games um and we need everyone supporting the team and not things that might you know drive people apart um secondly um obviously you know we're trying to find a new home and again uh unifying the city uh around that uh is important and so and you know the name is one of those things a lot of opinions but I mean can't say i' I've certainly not forgotten I mean like I said I grew up here okay so I understand it and you know we brought back we're going to start to do things that bring us back to our heritage uh honoring our past you know the gold you saw the gold uh pants um those are easy things to do so uh we are doing research um and we're thinking about it but like right now we're we're prioritizing the things that we've talked about and and and that's kind of the rationale for it for two more hey josa having grown up here you know you talked about going to games and you know watching this team your whole life this fan base people could say is maybe kind of been asleep or or just not as present the last 20 years do do you feel a sense where you can feel like that fan base is waking up just with the changes you guys have made and the new leadership and Jaden and everything totally I mean ter about thank you to the fans I mean we're uh you know way ahead of I think we've sold more tickets since than all every you know than we had all last year today um and and I've I've now I've been out in the community a lot and I've you know been speaking to people and um literally people cry when they talk about Wasington football and the memories that they had and so uh it's still there it was like a little bit uh sleeping a little bit dormant and you know there's so many stories that I get uh told or texted about or any number of ways communicated to do where okay I just spoke to my neighbor and they just bought season tickets again because they like what you all are doing and so that that's that's across the DMV and so our job is to keep delivering for the fan base keep creating that excitement keep doing things uh in a first class way keep inviting people in to help us uh make this happen uh for the DMV and obviously supporting the player supporting the football team so I do I do think it's coming back and um you know I do think that uh it never went away but it got lost for a little while last one Josh we just had the opportunity to take this tour and much of the renovations are absolutely beautiful some of them breathtaken also the access for the fans are a lot easier in some spaces as well you talked earlier about this being like someone coming into your home what do you hope that fans feel when they walk into Commander field yeah so I I just hope they feel comfortable so um what I say say to our staff is that um you know everyone can affect how fan feels when they come here right so if uh the parking uh person yells at you or if your food is cold or um if uh someone is Surly or the elevator doesn't work um all these things affect Fan Experience and so um I want people to feel comfortable here uh to be and I think importantly to feel part of a community we're are like we're all part of community that we're we're the community that wants the commanders to win like when the commanders are successful on the field like you know we're the the people that are at the stadium and the people that are watching on TV the DMV at large we're all coming together and so that that's what sports does and so um all those things are part of it and uh I also want uh you know I hate to I want feedback just keep keep I know you've been telling us what you want but keep keep talking to us and we're listening