NFL

Washington Commanders: DC's Football Team Announces New Name, Logo

What's the Washington Football Team's new name? It's a fresh era in D.C.

NBC Universal, Inc. Explore the long fight to change the mascot and name of Washington’s football team.

The Washington Football Team officially shed its temporary label on Wednesday and announced the franchise will be known as the Commanders, ending a renaming process that began more than 18 months ago. 

The window for speculating about the club’s new moniker is closed. Now, it’s time to grow familiar with its new name.

The Washington Commanders.

Co-owners Dan and Tanya Snyder, team president Jason Wright and a handful of former and current players were present at FedEx Field to mark the occasion. The unveiling of the name occurred on the "TODAY" show.

“It’s a name that has the weight and meaning befitting a 90-year-old franchise,” Wright said. "It's something that, we believe, embodies the values of service and leadership that really define the DMV and this community."

“It’s been a long journey to get to this point, and we’ve been grateful to everyone who’s been part of this process along the way,” Dan Snyder said.

“As we kick off our 90th year, we’re excited to celebrate the rich history of the burgundy and gold while also paving the way for our new tradition as the Washington Commanders,” Tanya Snyder said.

Washington had been known as the Washington Football Team for the last two seasons after the club moved on its former nickname due to mounting pressure about the insensitivity of that moniker.

Commanders emerged among other candidates in recent months due to their ties to the Washington, D.C. area and the military and its lack of potential trademark issues. 

To complete the rebranding, Washington debuted new uniforms and logos in addition to introducing the Commanders to the public. The team’s colors, however, will remain the same burgundy and gold in order to merge the past with the future.

Since the 1960s, activists have called for sports teams to stop using Native Americans as mascots. The movement's first wins happened on college campuses such as the University of Oklahoma, Dartmouth University, and Stanford University. In this digital original, we explore the long fight to change the mascot and name of Washington's football team.
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