Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Washington picks temporary name for season

Written by 
Published in Breaking News
Thursday, 23 July 2020 12:33

Effective immediately, Washington will call itself the "Washington Football Team" pending the adoption of a new name, the franchise announced.

This is not a final renaming and rebranding for the team; this is the name it wants to use until the adoption of a new name at some point.

The team will continue the process of retiring the former name and hopes to be entirely rid of it on physical and digital spaces in the next 50 days, by the Sept. 13 regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Washington will not have any change to its color scheme. It will still use burgundy and gold, and the logo on the helmet will be replaced by each player's number in gold. The Washington Football Team will debut its home uniforms in Week 1 against the Eagles, and its road uniforms in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals.

While the Washington Football Team uses these uniforms and helmets for the 2020 season, it will be seeking the feedback of players, alumni, fans, sponsors and the community for the team name it will use in the future.

Fans will be able to purchase "Washington Football Team" merchandise from Fanatics and NFL Shop in the coming days.

The team retired the name it had used for 87 years on July 13 after launching a thorough review 10 days earlier.

Team owner Dan Snyder had, for years, resisted changing the name -- telling USA Today in 2013 to "put it in all caps" that he would never make such a move. Some who worked for Snyder said they believed then that he would rather sell the team than use a new name.

The controversy surrounding the name predated Snyder's purchase of the team in May 1999. When Washington played at Super Bowl XXVI following the 1991 season, there were 2,000 protestors outside the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Then-owner Jack Kent Cooke said of any possible change, "There is not a single, solitary jot, tittle, whit chance in the world. I like the name, and it's not a derogatory name."

But Snyder and the franchise have been under more pressure after the protests following the death of George Floyd in May while he was in police custody in Minneapolis. Within a few weeks of Floyd's death, multiple sources said Snyder had been discussing the name change with NFL officials for several weeks already.

During this time, a letter signed by 87 investors and shareholders who hold a total worth of $620 billion was sent to sponsors FedEx, PepsiCo and Nike, asking them to stop doing business with the team unless the name changed. When that news came out in an Adweek.com story on July 1, multiple people -- including current and former team employees -- echoed the same thought: It's over. Most, if not all, were unaware that a possible change was in the works.

On July 2, FedEx issued a statement saying it had told the team it wanted the name changed. The other sponsors later released statements saying the same. Amazon said it would stop selling the team's merchandise. Walmart and Target said they would stop selling the gear in stores. And, according to The Washington Post, FedEx said it would remove its signage from the stadium if the name was not changed by the 2021 season.

FedEx signed a 27-year naming rights deal for $205 million in 1998. The company's owner and CEO, Fred Smith, has been a minority shareholder in the Washington franchise since 2003. However, according to multiple reports, he and the other minority investors, Dwight Schar and Bob Rothman, want to sell their stakes. Snyder, his sister and his mother own 60% of the franchise.

ESPN's John Keim contributed to this report.

Read 338 times

Soccer

Haaland on City slump: We're still backing Pep

Haaland on City slump: We're still backing Pep

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsErling Haaland criticised himself after Manchester City fell to ano...

Jesus haunts Palace again in Arsenal rout

Jesus haunts Palace again in Arsenal rout

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus proved a thorn in Crystal Palace's side once again as the Brazilian forward...

City hit new low as Rogers inspires Villa to win

City hit new low as Rogers inspires Villa to win

Aston Villa inflicted more misery on Manchester City on Saturday, defeating them 2-1 in the Premier...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Celts' Mazzulla fined $35K for comments to ref

Celts' Mazzulla fined $35K for comments to ref

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Joe Mazzulla's Christmas greetings were costly.The NBA...

Claxton fined $25K for throwing ball into stands

Claxton fined $25K for throwing ball into stands

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- The NBA fined Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton $25,000...

Baseball

Sources: Goldschmidt to Yankees on 1-year deal

Sources: Goldschmidt to Yankees on 1-year deal

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFirst baseman Paul Goldschmidt and the New York Yankees are in agre...

Marlins reach 1-year contract with INF Wagaman

Marlins reach 1-year contract with INF Wagaman

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMIAMI -- The Marlins and infielder Eric Wagaman have agreed to a on...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated