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The Good, The Bad, and… Ugly
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Finally, after two years of planning as the Washington Football Team, the Washington franchise has announced its new name will be the Washington Commanders along with brand new logos, and uniforms.
After controversy over the previous 87-year standing franchise name, Washington has finalized the future direction of NFL football in Washington. Leaders in the Washington franchise, president Jason Wright and coach Ron Rivera pushed over the last 2 years that the future direction of the team should incorporate the strong and patriotic military history of the Washington region, thus the team’s new club name: the Commanders. Commanders, being a naval officer rank in the US Military incorporates Washington’s past as a historical American capital and the strength of the military in the US.
Wright emphasized that “What this effort really is at its core is not landing on a name that was going to be unanimously loved by everybody but to start a process by which we can continue to preserve what's best about the burgundy and gold," Wright added, "Those have been colours and a name and a franchise that, when you have trouble talking to each other on other topics, you can come together and hug and high-five and be one while cheering this team on.”.
After backlash from the previous franchise name, the Washington Redskins, the Commanders brings football in Washington to becoming an inclusive and shared patriotic symbol in the DMV region. The Commanders keep the iconic burgundy and gold colours that have been in place since the start of football in Washington, but the brand itself is pushing for new meaning as an organization.
This new change is overall good for the organization, however from a marketing perspective, Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad said it perfectly with a GIF of Larry David:
Even Boston Globe’s Ben Volin said: “Took them two years to come up with Commanders and a “W” logo… If Washington ever gets a new stadium they can call it Commanders Palace”
The re-brand of Washington Football was very much needed. Crystal Echo Hawk, the executive director of the IllumiNative, called the rebrand a momentous moment but the NFL is not done, “the Chiefs have to step up and follow the lead and be on the right side of history.”
We couldn’t agree more.
But, is this really the best a massive team of marketers could come up with. Yes, the uniforms look nice, but seriously, is this the best logo they could come up with in 20 months?
Published: February 4, 2022 - Issue 25 of The Sport Marketeer