Since Josh Harris officially took over as the new owner of the Washington Commanders two weeks ago, the topic of another name change will not go away.
Minority owner Magic Johnson said in an interview on the TODAY Show that “everything is on the table.” Harris was asked multiple times about the name, and his response was it doesn’t matter what he thinks; it matters what the fans think.
Finally, another minority owner, Harris’ close friend Mark Ein — who, like Harris, is a longtime Washington fan — was asked about the name. Ein acknowledged it’s a problem for fans. All three stopped short of saying there would be a name change, and it certainly wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. The primary focus of Washington is on the 2023 NFL season, improving FedEx Field and the fan experience.
On Wednesday, in an appearance on “Up and Adams” with Kay Adams of FanDuel TV, team president Jason Wright was asked about a potential name change.
Wright, like the three owners, went into detail about the franchise’s immediate priorities. After Wright listed those priorities, Adams followed up: “So, it’s not been talked about?” referring to the name change.
Wright’s answer was brief and to the point:
“It’s not been a topic of conversation this week.”
Wright played a central role in rebranding Washington as the Commanders.
Much like Harris, Johnson and Ein, Wright named the areas of immediate focus for the new ownership. And they all center on the upcoming season, the fan experience and the community.
It’s clear that Harris wants everyone on the same page about the franchise’s immediate priorities while not ruling out anything down the road.
The name change debate continues to be a divisive topic among Washington’s fan base. Some hate the name; others just want to move on and focus solely on football. Regardless of what eventually happens, new ownership is definitely paying attention.
You can watch the full interview here:
