WASHINGTON — As Washington Commanders fans look to the future with a potential sale of the franchise by embattled owner Daniel Snyder, the District is kicking off it’s tribute to the team’s past with the “Farewell RFK” campaign.
“This is such an important legacy,” said Ralph Morton, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Sports & Entertainment for Events DC, the office that manages the RFK site. “You know, the teams that have played here, the moments, the history that people are going to want to celebrate. They don't want to just see the building go away without taking a moment to remember the history and the legacy as we move forward.”
To launch the campaign, fans are now able to buy orange wooden and plastic seating from RFK’s lower bowl. Stadium seats can be ordered here, with pick-up available in-person only on the RFK Campus on Dec. 16-18. Seats from the initial sale will be prepared and ready for the upcoming holiday gifting season for approximately $350 to $500. For more information on stadium seats, visit here: www.stadiumseatdepot.com.
Additional seats, including wooden burgundy and gold seats from the stadium’s upper bowl and other commemorative merchandise will be available in 2023. Roughly 8,000 stadium seats will be available for sale.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of stadium seats and memorabilia will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington and St. Coletta of Greater Washington.
Although the city’s contract with the demolition company, Smoot Construction, allows Events DC to re-sell other memorabilia salvaged during demolition, including scoreboards, plaques and other items, Morton said only stadium seats are planned for re-sale right now.
In an Events DC press release former lieutenant governor of Maryland Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Robert F. Kennedy’s daughter, said Farewell RFK is a tribute to her father’s legacy.
“This landmark named after my father means so much to this region,” said Townsend. “I am excited to be a part of this project that will celebrate his legacy, as well as all of the elements that made this stadium memorable to us all.”
Morton said the city is months into the demolition of the 61-year-old stadium but years into the planning process. Although demolition work is currently limited to the interior of the stadium, large scale demolition of the outside of the stadium is expected to start later this year or in early 2023.
The teardown of RFK will happen section by section using cranes and heavy equipment. There will not be a controlled implosion, like many cities have done when tearing down their old sports stadiums. But Events DC is planning various ceremonies to commemorate the RFK stadium which was home to the Washington Football Team, the Washington Nationals, DC United and legendary concerts from the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and The Rolling Stones.
“It's not the championships. It's not just the great moments on the fields,” Morton said. “It's the tailgate parties. It's sitting next to you with your family at a game your father, your brothers. And it's those experiences that we want everybody to remember celebrate, because that's a part of who we are as a community.”
Events DC says it will share more updates on those ceremonies as they become available. The stadium itself is expected to be completely removed by the end of 2023 barring any unforeseen circumstances.
For more information on seat sales, demolition updates including a live webcam, commemorative merchandise and more, visit www.FarewellRFK.com and on social media at @FarewellRFK on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.