Whether you’re talking about the Washington Redskins name change or the workplace harassment claims, team owner Daniel Snyder remains at the center of the controversies. It seems that everyone is calling for him to put a halt to the problems, which might just be easier said than done. After doing things the same way for so many years, it’s going to take a complete overhaul from the ground up to get things back on track. But is Snyder up to the task?
Renaming Dan Snyder’s NFL Team
Even Dan Snyder admits that a name change for the Washington Redskins was a long time coming. His family had hemmed and hawed about the switch for years, but always backed out to avoid disappointing the fans. The most loyal of the bunch have been cheering on the team as the Redskins for 87 years, after all.
Although loyal fans might have pride in the name, many activists, politicians, and other concerned individuals have pointed out its derogatory nature. As a slur against Native Americans, the name, Redskins, is simply too harmful to keep using, despite its long history as the team’s moniker. With everyone pushing for equality and love for all, it was the perfect time to make the switch.
Just Placeholder Text — or Is It?
Unfortunately, Daniel Snyder waited just a little bit too long to finally make the decision to change the name, leaving him with little time to overhaul the brand. By the time he made this important call, there was only a few months before the 2020 season began in earnest. The Generals, Redwolves, and Redtails all came up as moniker options in the stakeholder meetings, but none truly hit the mark.
Since they couldn’t come up with a new, lasting name, they were left using the Washington Football Team placeholder text for this season’s run. As a part of their brand renewal, they elected to retire their Native American mascot and logo in favor of a sophisticated W in yellow. When placed upon the dark red background, this simple letter has a truly timeless feel, leaving everyone asking if they ought to just go with the flow.
Not Much Time for Big Changes
The current football season kicked off on September 13th, putting the Washington Football Team in a holding pattern for now. They cannot make big sweeping changes to their branding while in the middle of the season, so the rest of that work will have to wait.
In the meantime, all the stakeholders must come up with a name and a new mascot to replace the retired ones once and for all. Once they do that, they can create their new logo or stick with the classy placeholder forevermore. They also have to go back and make changes to their signs on the stadium, nearby streets, and websites to bring everything together.
With a new name in place, all the other changes are expected to take about six months to complete. If done during the off-season, the Washington Football Team will be reborn for 2021, looking ahead toward its bright future.
A New Start for the Washington Football Team
Beyond handling the name change like a champ, Snyder has already taken a few steps forward in changing the spirit of the team. He decided to honor their beloved former safety, Sean Taylor, by naming the main road to the stadium after him. His murder in 2007 left the team reeling and on unstable footing for a few years, but now they are ready to pay their respects.
Snyder also elected to name the stadium’s lower bowl in honor of Bobby Mitchell, the first black player to join the franchise. Then, he went one step further and retired his number for good.
With their new name, legal issues resolved, and a focus on betterment every step of the way, there’s no doubt that the Washington Football Team will come back stronger than ever. For now, things are still in the air, but Snyder clearly has it all under control.
