If Washington fans want and hope for a new moniker for the franchise, they may have to get the horse out of the rain. According to franchise president Jason Wright, ‘Football Team’ may remain permanently as the team name until further notice.
“[Football Team] It’s definitely in the running,” Wright told ESPN’s John Keim. “I don’t think anything is out of the question… With this here, people are excited about the idea of a club having an identity rooted only in the area it represents. Maybe it’s Football Team or a Football Club. We need to understand why, so no matter which direction we go, we can tug at people’s heartstrings.”
Washington dropped the “Redskins” moniker before the season began amid pressure from many of its sponsors including FedEx, which owns the stadium’s naming rights, as the name is a racist slur to Native Americans.
Previously, Wright said a rebrand under a new name may not be feasible until 2021 because of logistical challenges involving shirts, apparel and merchandise. Whatever the nomenclature in the future, Washington plans to keep its color scheme intact.
“It would be very difficult to change wine and gold. You can put this in the pen. I don’t see us changing that anytime soon. This is not being actively considered… I will review this if it happens, but I don’t see it happening,” Wright said.
The president also stated that he received over 9,000 emails about a new name, and during the offseason period, ‘Red Wolves’ gained traction among fans.
“We could do something around conservation and animal rights,” he said. “It’s a compelling idea; an idea around the fans’ experience of a howl that would fill the stadium. Underneath, for us, is understanding why. Are we an environmentally savvy fan base across all fan groups?”
Washington is the only franchise in the NFL that doesn’t have a nickname at the moment, and by the looks of it, it will remain without a name to call its own.
Photo: Reproduction Twitter/Washington Football Team
