The NFL franchise formerly known as the Washington Redskins announced on Thursday they had changed their name to the "Washington Football Team" — and the response was unforgiving.
The announcement: "For updated brand clarity and consistency purposes, we will call ourselves the 'Washington Football Team' pending adoption of our new name," the organization said on its website.
Simultaneously-released mockups of a new logo, uniforms and field design reflected that the team will be keeping its characteristic burgundy-and-gold color scheme.
- The franchise also updated its social media accounts to reflect the rebranding and name-change, which came in response to renewed criticism of the "Redskins" as racially insensitive.
It's the uniforms for us 👏 pic.twitter.com/7BGOmSqjMY
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) July 23, 2020
ESPN, which broke news of the new name, reported that the organization hoped to purge all official usage of the "Redskins" by the Sept. 13 regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Terry Bateman, the franchise's new executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said they would go by Football Team during the 2020 season, and he could not predict how long it would take to find a permanent replacement.
- Bateman said rebranding done correctly takes 12 to 18 months and called the process "thoughtful and inclusive and smart" and "organic and natural."
The reaction: The organization's new name, however temporary, was widely panned — including by some usually reliable cheerleaders for the advance of social justice.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, a prominent champion of the Black Lives Matter movement, joked "Football Team" must been the result of "a thorough intense long board meeting."
Just waking back up from my pregame nap to see about The Washington Football team??? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Is that real?? No way! Oh man they had a thorough intense long board meeting about that one huh. 🥴🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 23, 2020
"The Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon quipped during his opening monologue that the name sounded like the invention of "someone who doesn't know anything about sports."
THAT’S what they came up with?! Jimmy reacts to the new Washington Football Team #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/jhNeWrFb2n
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) July 24, 2020
Conservative blogger Alexander Muse pointed out, sarcastically, that the team's name still included the "problematic" word "Washington."
Um, has anyone else pointed out that Washington was a slave owner? How is this better than Redskins? At least that named honored Native Americans. Washington celebrates the founder of a racist nation built by slaves.
— @amuse (@amuse) July 23, 2020
Nick Short of the Claremont Institute suggested "Princess Wokeness" as the team's new mascot.
What is the mascot for the Washington Football Team? Princess Wokeness?
— Nick (@PoliticalShort) July 23, 2020
The Washington Football Team publicly committed to changing their name in a July 13 statement, which appeared on Redskins letterhead.
- Team owner Dan Snyder had long vowed to never do so, citing polling that showed fully 90% of Native Americans did not find the name offensive.
- According to reports earlier this month, the new name rollout was delayed because of trademark issues, possibly involving a Virginia man who has claimed trademarks to 44 D.C. sports team names.
Washington Football Team-branded merchandize will be available for purchase in the coming days, according to the ESPN report.
