Commanders Co-owner addresses potential name change

For the time being, the Washington Commanders will remain in place.

Co-owner Marjorie Harris told reporters on Wednesday that there are no plans to launch another big rebrand after adopting the Commanders name ahead of the 2022 NFL season, adding the subject is “on the side for now”:

Had the opportunity to ask Commanders owner Majorie Harris about the team name:

"Quite frankly, I had a whole day out in the community, and I kept referring to the team as the Commanders. And you know what? Sounds pretty good to me. So, for now, it's the Commanders." pic.twitter.com/SdsORINpYu

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 29, 2024

The comments came after the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala and Emily Guskin highlighted the findings of a study among local sports enthusiasts, which revealed that 54 percent of respondents “either dislike or hate the name.”

According to Jhabvala and Guskin, “only 16 percent of Commanders fans think the team should keep the name, while most say they would like the team to change to a different name.”

Ditching the old moniker, which had been used from 1933 to 2020 and accompanied the franchise’s entire existence in Washington, D.C., was always going to be a difficult move among some fans.

Choosing “Commanders” as the new nickname may not have helped the situation. It’s quite generic, conveying little about the franchise’s history or the local area. Matt Price, a fan noted by Jhabvala and Guskin, described it as “pretentious and pompous.”

Furthermore, the franchise may have stumbled onto something by switching to “Washington Football Team” on an interim basis. That was at least unusual in the NFL scene.

When supporters were asked what they wanted to call the squad, the Washington Football squad garnered more votes than the Commanders.

Unfortunately, a name change so soon is probably unfeasible considering what the previous ownership regime spent and how much it would cost to do the same thing.

It’s also an issue that could fix itself. The more Washington is known as the Commanders, the more it will stay, and supporters will probably worry a lot less about the moniker if the team begins winning again.