Less than 24 hours after the Washington Commanders officially changed hands, there are already talks of potentially rebranding the franchise again. Former NBA star Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who acquired a minority stake in the team as part of the ownership transfer from Daniel Snyder to Joshua Harris for a record $6 billion, addressed the possibility of another team name change during an interview on “The Today Show.”
When asked about the future of the “Commanders” nickname, Johnson stated that everything is on the table, especially after the experiences of the past year. He did not confirm whether the name change will happen, but he acknowledged that the team is considering its options.
“The Commanders” nickname was announced in February 2022 after years of deliberation and fan input. However, it seems that there has been some backlash and dissatisfaction from fans regarding the new name.
This potential name change would not be the first for the Washington franchise. From 2020 to 2021, the team temporarily used the name “Washington Football Team” after retiring its previous name, the “Redskins,” which was considered controversial and was retired in 2020 due to concerns raised by Native American groups.
Before settling on the name “Commanders,” Washington teased several other name possibilities, including “Armada,” “Brigade,” “Defenders,” and “Redhogs” during their rebranding process. It remains to be seen if the team will decide to pursue a different identity once again in response to fan feedback and considerations about the team’s image.