‘Washington Football Team’: Twitter has a field day with Redskins’ new blank space of a name
The NFL team formerly known as the ‘Washington Redskins’ are changing their name and logo to the rather on-the-nose placeholder title ‘Washington Football Team’, much to sports fans’ consternation and amusement.
The nondescript moniker is effective immediately, and will remain in place “pending adoption of a new team name,” the team announced on Thursday.
The decision to use ‘Washington Football Team’ for this season allows the franchise the ability to undertake an in-depth branding process to properly include player, alumni, fan, community, and sponsor input.
It begins here... pic.twitter.com/CHCCZ64W81
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) July 23, 2020
The team added that it is beginning “the process of retiring all Redskins branding from team properties.” While the color palette will not change, the Redskin helmet logo will be replaced by the player’s number.
Washington will not have any change to its color scheme. It will still use burgundy and gold. The Redskins logo on the helmet will be replaced by the player’s number in gold. The Washington Football Team will debut its home uniforms in week 1 against the Eagles. pic.twitter.com/8DpC6b0Tyj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 23, 2020
Despite the generally mixed reactions to the decision to drop the Redskins name, the internet is apparently united in finding the ‘Washington Football Team’ name ludicrous. Even basketball star Lebron James joked about how generic it sounds, tweeting that they must have had a “thorough intense long board meeting about that one.”
Just waking back up from my pregame nap to see about The Washington Football team??? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Is that real?? No way! Oh man they had a thorough intense long board meeting about that one huh. 🥴🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 23, 2020
Veteran footballer Dez Bryant went as far as to say it was a “soul crusher” that the team no longer has a name.
No disrespect to Washington football team but that’s a soul crusher not to have a football name
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) July 23, 2020
TV writer Mike Drucker jokingly suggested that ‘Washington’ was “the only okay word” in the original name that could be retained.
SEATTLE: “Today we honor our proud history with the sea by taking the brave name of THE SEATTLE KRAKEN”WASHINGTON: “the only okay word in our old name was Washington, so we went with Washington Football Team”
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) July 23, 2020
Comedian Steven Crowder pointed out that arguably even the word Washington is racist, and they should just call themselves “Football Team.”
Pretty sure since George Washington is also cancelled the team name is still racist.They should just call themselves “Football Team.” https://t.co/G5khg2bDcK
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) July 23, 2020
There were those, however, who sincerely felt that the new name was “sharp” and “classy.”
No name change, we are the Washington Football Team. Established in 1932. Still in burgundy and gold. The team wants to get this right. It’s clean. Sharp. Classy.
— Julie Donaldson (@juliedonaldson_) July 23, 2020
The name ‘Washington Redskins’ has long been criticized as offensive toward Native Americans, but the team held out against any rebranding until coming under increased pressure amid the renewed Black Lives Matter movement. The decision to change it was forced by the FedEx Corp, which owns the naming rights to the franchise's Landover, Maryland, stadium.
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