Super Bowl or Branding/Name Change?

[burgold]

What I think you're doing is singing to the choir about why the name should never have been changed. I'd guess if you polled the board you'd get close to 100% agreement on that. I don't believe the name is viewed as offensive by those who should be impacted by it. At least I've never seen significant evidence of it. Like you, I've seen more hard evidence that the NA populations either supported the name or were neutral on it.

But despite our muskets and pitchforks, those days are bygone. A new team name/brand will almost certainly not be NA themed. So, if we're looking to capture or recapture that population in New Mexico, Arizona, and South Dakota, I think the ring is going to do more than the brand.

 

[purbeast]

But that's where we'll agree to disagree. Those kids are buying regardless. It's not a "couple old geezers" who are disenfranchised. You're talking about literally hundreds of thousands of fans (and pocketbooks) in states like New Mexico, Arizona, South Dakota where you have large populations of Native Americans. This is a 2012 article from Rick Reilly that while it does sound a little tone deaf with the perspective of time passing, there's still a lot of undeniable truth to it.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/9689220/redskins-name-change-not-easy-sounds

The beauty is that only time will tell who of us is right. But Josh Harris and team are smart as hell. They didn't buy this organization without a plan to re-engage the ENTIRE fanbase. The rebrand WILL happen, IMO, it's just a matter of time.

Serious question and not trying to sound facetious or anything, but where are you getting this "hundreds of thousands of fans" number from? Do you have a source to this claim?

 

[Mark The Homer]

... They didn't buy this organization without a plan to re-engage the ENTIRE fanbase. The rebrand WILL happen, IMO, it's just a matter of time.

This post reminds me of a short conversation I had with Letthepointssoar at a pre-tailgate tailgate on Redskins Rd about fifteen years ago. We were talking about the Redskins name being changed. He said he was certain the name was going to be changed eventually. Maybe not now. Maybe not next week. Maybe not next year. But eventually. It was inevitable, he said. And I completely disagreed. I did not understand his thinking. There is no way Snyder was going to give in and allow a name change of his beloved Redskins. No way.

Turns out, he was right.

 

[Letthepointssoar]

Serious question and not trying to sound facetious or anything, but where are you getting this "hundreds of thousands of fans" number from? Do you have a source to this claim?

I'll see if I can track it down later tonight, but not sure if l have a chance, juggling the tiny humans tonight. But there was an article some years back when we were in the thick of the media pressure growing on Dan to change. They had done polling on the Native American community on their favorite NFL teams and it wasn't even CLOSE. I think it was 60-70% Redskins. Factor in there are about 7-8M Native Americans in our country and you can get to that number in a hurry.

 

[Spearfeather]

Cool, you do you. But for every 1 of you old timers trying to "make a statement" by not buying any Commanders gear, there are dozens of younger people in the new generation running out to get Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin jerseys. I think they will take the new blood over the 1 pissed off old timer.

It's not really about making a statement. It's more about how it feels like we've been disconnected from our first 88 years of existence. And all of us were a part of that. At the risk of sounding kind of corny, it was a part of us. Harris and Rales ... You think they, being long-time fans themselves, can relate a little more to the 40 and over crowd ( and their frustration not only with teams performance over the past thirty plus years, but with those fans name and brand, a part of their lives for so long, being ripped away ), or with the seven year old " Commanders " fan ? If the team is winning, that seven year old is going to come along for the ride even if we change to another name.
Harris and Rales .. Their peers are the ones buying season tickets and suites. It's understandable that they would want it to feel more like the team they have always rooted for.

The Packers, Bears, Giants ... Imagine how their fans would react if they changed their name. I don't know why our fans would be expected to react any different than them.

 

[Letthepointssoar]

This post reminds me of a short conversation I had with Letthepointssoar at a pre-tailgate tailgate on Redskins Rd about fifteen years ago. We were talking about the Redskins name being changed. He said he was certain the name was going to be changed eventually. Maybe not now. Maybe not next week. Maybe not next year. But eventually. It was inevitable, he said. And I completely disagreed. I did not understand his thinking. There is no way Snyder was going to give in and allow a name change of his beloved Redskins. No way.

Turns out, he was right.

Dang. Remember that conversation well. Absolutely nuts how fast the time flies.

 

[RedWolf]

I guess we geezers better work fast 'cuz we'll be dead soon and then it'll be all over

It's a dual approach. Need new young blood but also ownership knows who has the cash. Money talks. "Appease all fans" is the correct approach. We need a new stadium. We need a new identity. We can't change yesterday only tomorrow. The internet and this board exists because of older fans.

Always a ring
Name change is coming.

Stupid thread

 

[Boone]

You're rooting against a Superbowl victory because you can't get over your butthurtness about the name. Can't make this stuff up.

To be fair, he did acknowledge he knew some fans would think it was a crazy concern. I don't personally think the insults are required to make your point - but hey, that's just me.

 

[Canadian Hog]

Nobody likes Commanders. I despise it as much as anyone. However, I will say that the euphoria I felt this past Sunday night vs. Tampa would have been no different had we still been called the Redskins. We all bleed burgundy and gold and root like hell for those colours. Hence, why I have always maintained that Washington Burgundy and Gold was the best name from the get go and the best way to stay tied to our heritage. At the end of the day though, we have Jayden Daniels, so I am not going to keep whining and enjoy watching football games.

 

[Commander PK]

As I’ve stated before I would love a new brand behind either Warriors. Wolves, Redwolves, or Sentinels.

I would also love a Super Bowl win as the Washington Commanders.

Washington Commanders as a brand could work if they continue to expand and rework some aspects as they did this season. There are new elements such as the Raise Hail and Gothic font style I am really liking.

Ring>Name for me…and it’s not close.

 

[MisterPinstripe]

What happens if they change the name and most people hate the new name? You assume if they change the name it will be one that you like, but what if you think the new name is dumber then Commanders? Because lots of people will hate the new name, or make fun of changing it yet again, or they liked the Commanders and now are frustrated it was changed?

We are a small group of fans on the extreme end of fandom, most fans don't mind the name even if they don't love it. We finally have a star QB and lets change the name again and cause more upheaval for the brand? I don't love Commanders, I call them both Redskins and Commanders, but I just want to enjoy football and this year has been amazing.

I'm done with the name changes, lets move on. The only one I would be fine with would be going back to Redskins but thats not a rebrand and of course wont happen.

I have a bet running with my brother, if they change the name in the next 5 years I buy him a new jersey. If they don't I get one. It doesn't make business sense to change the name again and piss off people who see you as the savior.

 

[bowhunter]

I have a bet running with my brother, if they change the name in the next 5 years I buy him a new jersey. If they don't I get one. It doesn't make business sense to change the name again and piss off people who see you as the savior.

There are a lot of people who aren't buying jerseys now, waiting to spend their dollars on a name they support. Until then they are still loving wearing their older R gear. You reference being seen as a savior but fail to acknowledge who/what they were saved from, and what name he imposed upon the fans. Snyder and the C-word are forever linked.

 

[Ferndaleskins]

I pick winning the Super Bowl. My friends are in their 50’s like me and my parents and in laws are still around and we call still call them Redskins. I only have one Commanders shirt, but loads of Skins gear.

I don’t like the name Commanders but am not bothered by people calling them that. I have always rooted for this team and yes different name but still team. Still Washington.

I have a nephew and my son are fans and they have never lived through a playoff win (till now) let alone a Super Bowl. For them alone I would take Super Bowl over rebrand all day.

Besides, as I have gotten older my eyesight has gotten poorer. When the TV cameras are zoomed all the way out at the start of downs they almost look like the old Redskins.

 

[Mark The Homer]

Serious question and not trying to sound facetious or anything, but where are you getting this "hundreds of thousands of fans" number from? Do you have a source to this claim?

I agree. "Hundreds of thousands of fans" is under-estimated. It's way more than that. Shoot - we had six figures just on ES.

 

[burgold]

There are a lot of people who aren't buying jerseys now, waiting to spend their dollars on a name they support. Until then they are still loving wearing their older R gear. You reference being seen as a savior but fail to acknowledge who/what they were saved from, and what name he imposed upon the fans. Snyder and the C-word are forever linked.

It may be because of the name, it also may be Norvousness. As excited as we are, who doesn't have that shred of doubt that this is fool's gold and Lucy will pull the football again?

 

[burgold]

I agree. "Hundreds of thousands of fans" is under-estimated. It's way more than that. Shoot - we had six figures just on ES.

Six figures? That's not a nice way to talk about our female fan base. For shame, sir!

 

[MartinC]

I simply don’t agree with the premise of the OP. That the Commanders name is and will always will be associated with Snyder.

The word ‘brand’ is being used in this thread. A lot of people think of a brand as the name - maybe the logo as well. That’s not what a brand is. The name, logo, colors of the uniforms etc in marketing speak that’s the visual identity. The ‘brand’ is the totality of a persons experience and mental view of a product/service and the company/org behind that product/solution.

So for the Commanders the brand is a combination of ownership and how they behave, the GM/HC, the stadium/game day, tailgates and people we meet/know at the games or online in forums like this, social media/podcasts/pre and post game coverage, TV coverage, merchandise, … the GAMES, players performance. Winning.

Over time all the above combines to create our mental picture of and view/association with and of the Commanders brand.

And peoples mental views of things develop/change with experience.

When we think of the Redskins we think of Joe Gibbs, Riggins, Art Monk, Joey T, Mark Rypien, The Hogs, Doug Williams. We think of Suoer Bowl wins and famous victories. We don’t think so much about the 20 odd years Dan Snyder owned the franchise and when we do it’s not with positive feelings. The Redskins brand was tarnished by Snyder and by losing.

The Commanders brand will be developed by and around Jayden Daniels and young players brought in around him. It will shaped in peoples minds by nights like Sunday in Tampa, putting up 40 plus on teams, last play wins, consistently making the playoffs, a new stadium, great memories to be created - being respected.

The Commanders name is almost certainly here to stay. If we keep winning. Our brand association will grow around the wins and the shared experience of everything that goes with and around that. Dan Snyder will not be associated with the present or future of this brand. The visual identity could (and should) be refreshed and improved as part of all this - but the name we will come to own it with the wins.

Winning solves a lot of things.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I am not swapping a ring for a name change EVER! To sacrifice winning the Super Bowl in this season for a change of brand just baffles me. If we win this year it will be one of the greatest sports stories of all time, let alone football stories.

For the record I am not a fan of the Commanders name, it's a terrible name and yet another example of the Snyder regime's disconnect with the fanbase. That said I am more focused on what this ownership group, coaching staff and players have achieved this season than the name. Washington will always be the Redskins to me, I'll still call us the Skins in conversation, that will never change. I hope at some point we can rebrand, but I can live with Commanders whilst this team has brought hope, honour and respect back to this franchise.

 

[Mark The Homer]

“I can't understand how anybody who once played under the old franchise name, could possibly want to be a part of anything with Washington Commanders.”

“That makes me feel filthy. I feel dirty, I don’t want anything to do with it. Maybe I will change. Maybe I need a little more time, I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right to me.”

“John Riggins, played for the __. Well, who did he play for? I don’t know, can’t say that can you?”

"I kind of look at them and go, 'What's wrong with you? Don't you get it? You were invited to your own funeral.' "

"“I feel completely disenfranchised,” ... “I can’t understand how anybody who played under the old franchise name, the original franchise name, could want to be a part of anything Washington Commanders. Like I said, I feel completely disenfranchised. All of a sudden, you’ve entered oblivion.”"

-John Riggins
Superbowl XVII MVP

Former Super Bowl MVP John Riggins Feels 'Completely Disenfranchised' After Commanders Name Change

The former Super Bowl MVP doesn't hold back on his thoughts on the Washington Commanders.

www.si.com

John Riggins has harsh criticism for new Washington Commanders name

Hall of Fame running back John Riggins doesn't want anything to do with the franchise he earned so much fame with now as the new-look Washington Commanders

sportsnaut.com

John Riggins is latest Washington great to condemn Commanders nickname

Legendary Washington running back and former Super Bowl MVP John Riggins became the latest franchise great to condemn the new Commanders nickname.

riggosrag.com

 

[burgold]

Honestly, it annoys me a lot when people refer to Commanders Superbowl wins or Commanders' greats or record holders. Riggins, Monk, Clark, Sonny, Baugh, and all the rest are not Commanders. They are Redskins.

Likewise, I'm a Redskins fan and a Washington fan (for many reasons including believing one should root for the home team). When I go to a game, I wear a Redskins jersey. I can imagine one day becoming a Commanders fan (shiver), but primarily that is keyed to the city and the history of the team that I've devoted so many years to.