Road games are always a challenge, but there are some stadiums that present more adversity than others. Kansas City has the raucous environment at Arrowhead, and Seattle's infamous "12th man" is known for giving teams problems.
To Marcus Dolny, the Fan Ambassador Network (FAN) captain of the "entertainment" category, FedExField can, and should create the same difficult conditions for the Washington Football Team's opponents.
"There's no reason why it can't be them versus all of us," Dolny said, "not just the players on the field."
Dolny has made a career out of creating a standout atmosphere. His love of music and entertainment led to him being the owner of Heart of Sound Services for 24 years and has experience in almost everything involved with event planning. He wants to use that expertise to create something monumental at FedExField.
"I want it to be something that, even if you aren't a football fan, you wanted to go to one of our games," Dolny said.
By "monumental," Dolny means creating something that creates a lasting memory. For him, that was Washington's Super Bowl XXII 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos. His family used to root for the Broncos, but after watching Doug Williams and Washington "dismantle" the team in every facet, he switched to the burgundy and gold.
It's rare to replicate that kind of moment on a weekly basis, but Dolny said creating an atmosphere on par with the NFL's top venues is an achievable goal. He's seen bits of that across different teams and leagues, and with Washington's passionate fanbase, he believes the team can have those same traits.
"The experience there and the energy you feel there...would be worth it all on its own or would make you a football fan," Dolny said.
Washington had some of that at RFK, when it was a perennial NFC contender. Dolny understands why the team had to move to FedExField, but there are some things that can be done to "strike fear" into opponents.
"Seeing how the fans have reacted to the past five, ten years of change...and now seeing how they're all part of the name and rebranding process and seeing that passion," Dolny said, "I know Washington fans have that. And I know that we can become a source of it."
Dolny has made it clear since he first applied to become a member of FAN that he wants the experience at FedExField to be special. While many are blessed to be season ticket holders or go to games more regularly, others are lucky enough to see their favorite team in person once.
Because of that, Dolny wants the experience to be something they can talk about for the rest of their lives. And that isn't limited to what happens on the field; the energy as well as the ebbs and flows of the atmosphere itself need to be just as unforgettable.
"Those moments, taking those on-field plays and the way a crowd reacts and how you feel that energy grow and you become part of that," Dolny said. "That's something you just can't manufacture. You can't go out on the street and get it."
