The Defenders will have to fight for attention in a market that has seen recent championships by the Capitals and Nationals.dc defenders
Once the Super Bowl concludes, a void on the field remains for months before training camp begins in July. The timing of the XFL season, and introducing the league to new fans, especially younger generations who maybe were priced out of attending football games, has Erik A. Moses optimistic about the kickoff for season one.
“That has me pretty jazzed,” said Moses, the president of the DC Defenders, one of the XFL's eight initial teams. “We are filling that football fix and giving them three more months of high quality professional football.”
The Defenders will play in the XFL’s first regular-season game as they host the Seattle Dragons on Feb. 8 on ABC. Moses knows the sports passion that runs throughout the "District of Champions," fueled by the Washington Capitals' Stanley Cup victory in 2018 and the Washington Nationals' World Series victory last year.
DC Defenders
Erik A. Moses, president
Michael Preston, director of communications and community engagement
Rainbow Kirby-Stearns, director of marketing
Troy Machir, director of content
Gary Garcia, director of ticket sales and experience
Adelle Bland, director of event operations
Pep Hamilton, head coach and general manager
Moses was the senior vice president and managing director of sports, entertainment and special events for Events DC, and was on the mayor’s bus during the Capitals' victory parade in 2018. He witnessed the tens of thousands of fans lining the D.C. streets. “It was other-worldly,” he said. “That halo effect is something that’ll benefit us.”
Moses declined to provide specifics on season-ticket sales and would say only that he expects a strong turnout for the first game at Audi Field, which holds about 20,000 fans at full capacity.
“We’re new, so we’re going to have to earn our fans. We’re going to have to earn them on and off the field,” he added. “If the excitement that I hear when I talk to people one on one, that my ticket reps are hearing on the phone when they talk to people, if that excitement translates to attendance and people coming out, we’ll be pleased.”
Moses said he and his staff will have sponsorship conversations throughout the first season. At this time, though, the team has no deals to announce. He characterized year one as a “proof-of-concept” to possible partners, saying that the Defenders are “planting seeds.” Conversations with local and regional companies have centered around how they could best support the inaugural season.
“Year one certainly won’t look like what year two, year three or year five looks like in terms of the number of partners and the size and scope of those relationships,” he said.
