Stadium issues are likely No. 1, but it seems as if the second-biggest topic (at worst) of discussion since Josh Harris’ bid to buy the Commanders was revealed has been the notion of another re-brand, changing the name that came into existence 14 months ago to replace Washington Football Team.
Seems like NFL insider Mike Lombardi is all over that, as he said on his GM Shuffle podcast this week that the new owners should “treat the Commanders like an expansion team.”
“We gotta rebrand the team, and I would start by getting rid of anything that had to do with Snyder,” Lombardi said when asked by his co-host what he would do if Harris called him up and asked what the first order of business should be. “The Commanders, that’s up for grabs. I would change everything, cleanse that building completely and almost treat it like an expansion team. We’ve won two playoff games since 1999, so there’s not much history to put under the carpet. We have to really cleanse the building and let people know it’s a new start. We can’t just hang the sign up and say new management – we have to do everything we can to disassociate with this toxic behavior that’s been here since 1999.”
“I agree with everything he said, except I would still hold on to the burgundy and gold,” Cakes said. “I would get rename the team and get rid of anything that reminded you of Dan Snyder, except for the colors. If you want a tie to the past pre-Snyder, that’s the one.”
Bish agreed, saying the colors aren’t tied to Snyder, but EB wants everything gone.
“Are you still, in 2023, after the debacle of the name, tied into the burgundy and gold as a fan?” EB asked. “Because I’m more open to going to red, white, and blue and doing like a Pittsburgh thing with black and gold.
You want to start over and completely cleanse yourself of the stench of Dan Snyder, blow it up and go all red, white, and blue.”
John Keim had reported on our air that the NFL might be willing to waive its five-year rebrand moratorium to change everything post-Snyder, and Cakes doesn’t believe it needs to be a long process like the Commanders name change was – “just do it in house.”
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And with that, EB thinks, could come that color scheme change.
“Where Lombardi triggered me in a positive way is when he said to treat it like an expansion team,” EB said. “If you treat it like that, then you’re not attached to those colors.”
This is where JP weighed in and wondered if a portion of the fan base has gotten used to the Commanders name and all that, but Cakes cited a survey that 77 percent of 2000 fans surveyed want a re-brand, and EB agreed on principle.
“People got used to Washington Football Team, so you can get used to anything,” EB said. “There’s some truth to that, but you can get used to anything.”
Even new old colors?
“The burgundy and gold thing – they altered the colors, it’s not the pure burgundy and gold they had when they were the Redskins,” Bish said.
“Do you go back to the original burgundy and gold, keep the new colors, or go red, white, and blue?”
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