On July 20, the NFL owners unanimously voted to approve the sale of the Washington Commanders to Josh Harris. Harris, who owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, was leading an ownership of 20 individuals, including Magic Johnson. The $6.05B sale put an end to the reign of Dan Snyder, one of the most despised owners in all of sports. Snyder had held some control over the DC franchise since 1999 but acquired complete control in 2021. However, a string of very public scandals saw Snyder sell the team before the league forced him out.
It's unclear what Harris' immediate plans for the team are. With the offseason starting to wind down and training starting to get underway, any on-field overhauls will have to wait till next year. However, rumors are beginning to swirl that one thing that could change is the name. The Commanders have been the Commanders since 2022. Prior to that, they were the Washington Football Team after Snyder agreed to change the name from what is widely considered a slur for Indigenous peoples.
Fans Split On Name Change Rumor
“I would not be surprised at all if we see a name change and a complete rebranding,” ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. said on The Rich Eisen Show. While it would be the team's fourth name since 2019, a complete rebrand to really mark the start of a new era for the team. This may already be more than a rumor, as sharp-eyed social media users noted that an alumni gifting included swag that appeared to omit the Commanders moniker. Online, fans appeared split over the possibility of a new name. While some embraced the idea of removing the overly-generic "Commanders" name, others were more focused on achieving on-field results instead.
If the team were to change their name, it would need to be something bold and memorable. For example, George Washington University recently announced they would be changing their athletic nickname from the Colonials to the Revolutionaries. While thematically appropriate, it was chosen in place of the much cooler "Blue Fog". Personally, the team should forgo the tradition of choosing something fierce or militaristic and instead choose something that embodies the city, like Harris' other teams. If they wanted to go really out there with the name, how about the Washington/DC Half-Smokes? What do you think? Should Washington change their name? And if so, what should they change it to? Let us know in the comments.
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