The Washington Football Team set a deadline Tuesday for fan submissions regarding the team’s new name, announcing a “last call” for Monday, April 5.
Washington is in search of a new name after abandoning its “Redskins” moniker last July. The team rebranded to the temporary “Washington Football Team” while the organization conducts a full rebrand process. Team president Jason Wright has said the team will keep its temporary name for at least next season, and could keep the name for the long haul.
In a press release, Washington said it has received more than 15,000 submissions for what the team’s next name should be through the franchise’s rebranding website, Washingtonjourney.com. Now, fans will have just before midnight — 11:59 p.m. — on April 5 to submit a new name.
After the deadline passes, Washington said it will enter the “insights phase of the rebranding journey” — where all feedback will be considered.
“We set out to make the rebranding of this storied franchise a truly collaborative and inclusive process and, for the thousands of individuals who have contributed so far, we hear you and we thank you,” Wright said in a statement. “As we close the process of formal fan submissions, we will continue to engage with the community through various platforms.
“This is about much more than a name; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans to be a meaningful and lasting part of our history.”
Last summer, Washington moved on from the “Redskins” name after heavy backlash from corporate sponsors and activists as part of the national reckoning around race following George Floyd’s death. FedEx, the team’s naming rights partner for its stadium in Landover, Maryland, threatened to pull funding if the team did not change the name.
The team retired the moniker after 87 years, but kept the franchise’s iconic burgundy and gold color scheme.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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