Who knew that all it would take for the Washington soccer team to change its name would be the main sponsor of its playing field, which it did not suggest so graciously, threatening the loss of millions of dollars and an accelerated corporate race. running away from the franchise. ?
*Raise your hand*
Of course, this was always for money! Who does things for the goodness of their hearts? And now that national consciousness has shifted to Daniel Snyder’s football club, there is real and absolute pressure on the owner to hire a brand team, assemble focus groups, gobble up designers and artists, and produce a new look for his team. soccer. Or, as you might suggest, just play as Washington in 2020 while giving your fans a chance to evaluate options that are meaningful or attractive to them.
Either way, the momentum is rolling downhill. The team announced plans on Friday to “thoroughly revise” the club’s name, which they claimed was in the works long before financial pressure from a key sponsor. A franchise statement also included a quote from head coach Ron Rivera, who said the issue was “of personal importance to him” just days after he said on a radio show that it was a “discussion for another time.” . Apparently, that time is now!
So what could a name change be like? Here are five options that might make sense for a quick change, though let me clarify that the best option would be to take the year off and not have a nickname. This is a deeply sensitive topic, and by taking the time to do its homework Washington could spend the year immersed in a more accurate description of our history, and eventually come up with something that could honor a heritage that spent so much time feeling apprehensive or totally offended by the name.
None of these suggestions are endorsements in particular, but a combination of thoughts and analysis based on what the team could be inclined to do …
• Americans / Warriors:
I think any one of these names does something important for Snyder; something that undoubtedly worries him during this process. By leaning over American The theme, with the ability to verify the military’s name, cover a new set of uniforms in red, white, and blue, and reuse the American flag for design purposes (or in some other way, borrow from Trump’s aesthetic ), avoid criticism from people who will be more outraged and vocal about the change.
• Red tails / red clouds
The Red Tails was a finalist for a rebranding contest a few years ago and references the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. While there is a stronger geographic link to Alabama, the Airmen represented something truly incredible and stoic: a diverse unit of African American, Caribbean, Haitian, and Dominican pilots who fought and served the country despite the existence of Jim Crow segregation and rampant discrimination. Using the name change to shed light on a criminally overlooked part of American history could be an effective counterbalance to years of digging out a nickname that so many people considered racially insensitive.
Red Clouds was suggested in a Washington Post column, handing over the team name to a Native American hero. From the Send Bob Drury and Thomas Calvin column:
The so-called Red Cloud War officially began in 1866, when the Sioux leader could no longer bear relentless incursions, including the construction of US Army forts, into his people’s territory. The climax of the war occurred when he and his field commander Crazy Horse eliminated an 81-man Army troop. The shocked administration of President Andrew Johnson sued for peace. In November 1868, Red Cloud signed a treaty to end the fighting, only after burning the army forts to the ground.
Less than two years later, Red Cloud was in the nation’s capital. “He became incredibly famous,” wrote historian R. Eli Paul. “The newspapers reported each of his words and deeds, and large crowds of onlookers gathered at every public sighting.”
Drury and Calvin point out that this would involve little change to the song or logo of the fight. Aesthetics could stay the same while honoring rather than offending a group of people.
• Pigs / Battle Pigs / War Pigs / Swamp Pigs
Especially given the recent passing of Joe Bugel, the team’s legendary offensive line coach, the use of the name change to honor The Hogs’ legacy would be welcome. Washington fans dress up as pigs. It is a conveniently located secondary mascot and pays tribute to the franchise’s glory years when Joe Jacoby, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jeff Bostic, George Starke and Fred Dean, led by Bugel, formed the basis of the club’s happy days at late 1980s and early 1990s.
• Senators / Presidents / Federals / Founders
One of them would be fairly easy, albeit incredibly boring and somewhat dangerous given the polarized nature of our American political system at the moment. I’m sure certain fans in certain years would not mind supporting certain presidents, or senators, depending on the balance of power.
• Get rid of the nickname completely
I have seen this suggested in multiple places. Maybe Washington just adopts the “Washington Football Club” or some vague, bureaucratic title like the Department of Defense and the Department of Offenses (sorry, Department of Special Equipment). I think there is something to the idea that many professional franchises don’t have popular nicknames. Throughout the football culture, teams are widely known for their region, with something like FC or United, which would reassure fans who don’t want to see a new name at all.
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