No Name Change Coming in Washington
Josh Harris brushed off the idea of a name change for the Washington Commanders this offseason.
You know what, I actually think this is a good thing. I hate the name Commanders, and I mean HATE it. However, it’s really low on the list of priorities that the franchise should be putting together for the offseason. Black Monday has come and gone, Rivera is out of the building and it’s time to start anew.
Harris and co. are already knee deep looking for a new GM, new coach, seemingly a new everything. The search for the right person isn’t going to be quick; nor should it. It’s going to take a lot to fully remove the Snyder Stink from the organization, and the first hires by Harris will play a huge role in setting the foundation of a new culture in the building. This is clearly the most important thing the team has to take care of this offseason, and is rightfully the top priority.
Coming in at number two is improvements to FedEx field. Gotta attract as many fans as you can while the team still occupies the decrepit piece of shit. Finding ways to improve the fan experience, or just make sure there’s no chance of poop falling on your head, can go a long way to increasing fan interest, which increases revenue. The new stadium can’t come soon enough, but at the same time it’s best to put that lower on the list to improve what the team already has.
Priority three is the new stadium. This is not going to be an easy process. The Commanders organization has soured relationships with a lot of key people in the DMV area. Even with the Snyder gone, there is a lot of work Harris has to do in order to build the right kind of arena to put butts in seats because that means more money. Also, I hear rumors that they’re going to have another “one way in, one way out” type of set up, which would be a massive mistake. I’m hoping the team behind the new stadium comes to this realization and changes their mind on it before it’s too late.
Three things doesn’t seem like a lot, right? It becomes bigger when you think about all the time it will take to complete these tasks. I have no doubt there’s a small team within the building that has been assigned to look into different brand names, legal issues and run some focus groups. Rebranding is an arduous process though, and it takes a lot of time. Focusing on a new name will take focus away from what really matters and what will bring fans back into the fold, winning. Not just that though, winning and looking good while doing it. Because winning in an old stadium that needs to be replaced only works if that stadium has a history similar to that of Lambeau Field. I think we all know there isn’t a soul on this earth that views FedEx in the same stratosphere as the Packers’ home.
The name change can and will come. It won’t be the only name that a lot of *redacted because I want to be nice* think it should revert back to. If that were the case, the process wouldn’t take as much time and Harris could’ve gone full Buggs Bunny meme and said, “sorry lord but it’s time I went back to tha old me” and been done with it. Saying nothing is a big a sign that the former name isn’t coming back as it is hope for something better.
I’m glad Harris is taking his time, the name change can come down the road and we’ll all be fine.
