‘It just feels connected’: Fans feel camaraderie, pride in gathering in Madrid to support Commanders
Glaswell and dozens more Commanders fans from around the world packed themselves in The Irish Rover — a sports bar just eight minutes from where the Commanders will play the Dolphins at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium — to show their support for the Burgundy & Gold as they prepare for the historic matchup. They’re eager to see a win, but the opportunity to share their experiences and connection to the franchise has proven to be just as meaningful.
“It’s awesome; I’ve met a lot of cool people,” said Erik Paige, who came to Madrid from Germany. “We’ve had a lot of fun, we’re looking forward to having more.”
For fans like Paige, the Week 11 matchup is their first opportunity to see the Commanders in person. Paige felt a “straight connection” with Washington when he saw the team play for the first time during the 2017 season. Like many other European fans, however, it isn’t easy for Paige to find the time or money to fly to Maryland and visit Northwest Stadium for a game.
So, when the NFL announced that the Commanders would be one of the teams playing overseas, Paige called his girlfriend and said, “We have to go.” Paige said there aren’t as many Washington fans in Germany, so to have so many of them in one place has been a new experience for him.
“To see the Washington community come together in Madrid, it’s a blessing,” Paige said.
For others, it’s a chance to celebrate life-changing news. Three weeks ago, Jaime Bangson was reparing to go through topical chemotherapy and needed something to distract her.
Bangson said she was “really in her head” about the treatment when she saw that the Commanders were hosting a tailgate event in Spain in the days leading up to the game. So, without any real intentions of going to the game, she started to think about what a trip to Spain would look like.
“I planned this dream trip just so I didn’t have to think all weekend,” Bangson said. “But then I realized maybe if I dipped into my savings, I could maybe actually make this a reality.”
Bangson then sent a text to her dad asking if he wanted to go to a tailgate party with her. After he asked her which one, she replied with information about the one in Madrid.
“First, we said, ‘This is nuts,'” Bangson recalled. “Next weekend he goes, ‘You know what? Let’s just do it.'”
They booked their plane tickets a few days later. Then, Bangson got the news that she didn’t need to go through topical chemotherapy, taking a massive weight off her shoulders and allowing her to focus solely on the game.
“I don’t have to be scared about what I was gonna be going through,” Bangson said with a smile.
