The Washington Football Team has set a firm date for when it will definitely end speculation about its new name.
After operating under the temporary WFT moniker since July 2020, when it ditched its longtime "Redskins" nickname for good, Washington says it will officially unveil its new permanent team name on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022.
"We are on the brink of starting a new chapter," said Washington team president Jason Wright in a promotional video teasing the upcoming announcement. "But our history, our legacy, cannot be lost along the way. Now more than ever, it's important that we stay connected to our roots."
The video shows Wright revealing the new look to Doug Williams, who now serves as Wright's senior advisor, and to head coach Ron Rivera. While a burgundy and gold color scheme and three stars patched onto a No. 17 (Williams) jersey can be clearly seen, the team name and logos are blurred out for viewers. Washington has maintained all along it intends to keep its color scheme as a vestige to its rich history, which includes three Super Bowl victories, one led by Williams himself.
While no clear indications were given as to what the new name will be, Washington did make clear what the name will not be, formally eliminating one moniker that's gained ravenous support since the search for a new name was first launched.
"Fan feedback has been crucial as a part of this process," said Wright. "And over the last 18 months, many of you have shared very vocally your love for one name in particular: 'Wolves,' and specifically 'Red Wolves.' We noticed this early on and we immediately started exploring it as a serious contender. And it made it all the way through to the end stages of the process."
The video cuts to Chief Legal Officer Damon Jones, who explains the complicated legal process of exploring and securing intellectual property on such a large, visible scale, with Wright concluding that 'Wolves' and 'Red Wolves' were "not viable options because of existing trademarks held by other teams."
Wright summarizes his thoughts on the process in further detail in his latest 'President's Brief,' which you can read here.
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