Rebranding the Washington Redskins

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

Or do away with team names and go the other football route and call them Washington FC or Fedex Washington.

[OnWis97]

Or do away with team names and go the other football route and call them Washington FC or Fedex Washington.

Oh god I would hope there is a rule against that.

[borner1996]

"Pigskins" is a little too hokey for me.

My vote is for The Washington Potomacs (which could represent the many tribes that lived along the Potomac river) so long as they get permission from the 500 or so remaining members of the Patawomeck tribe and other Native Americans.

Then you don't have to change the logo.

Washington fans/ownership seem pretty adamant about keeping something "Skins" related, so I don't know how "Potomacs" would go over with them. However, the NA community across the country would sleep a little easier if the new name was a little kinder to them

[CC97]

A couple of examples of teams keeping their name but changing the mascot/logo:

But again, probably doesn't work with Redskins

[borner1996]

"Pigskins" is a little too hokey for me.

My vote is for The Washington Potomacs (which could represent the many tribes that lived along the Potomac river) so long as they get permission from the 500 or so remaining members of the Patawomeck tribe and other Native Americans.

Then you don't have to change the logo.

Washington fans/ownership seem pretty adamant about keeping something "Skins" related, so I don't know how "Potomacs" would go over with them. However, the NA community across the country would sleep a little easier if the new name was a little kinder to them

Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Potomacs

The Washington Potomacs were an early 1920's Negro league baseball team

[borner1996]

Another suggestion could be a name change to Washington Warriors (sounds catchy), and keep the native american logos. Many high schools in the country, including my former one, used Warriors with a NA caricature and it worked fine

[CC97]

Another suggestion could be a name change to Washington Warriors (sounds catchy), and keep the native american logos. Many high schools in the country, including my former one, used Warriors with a NA caricature and it worked fine

On the pro sports level, however, the Golden State Warriors moved away from the native imagery in their branding.

Speaking of the Warriors, a couple more same name -> new logo changes:

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

Washington Indians

Same uniforms, same logo, both end zones say "Washington"

[derschwigg]

Let's be honest. They're probably not going to try to use the R - everything "Redskins" is now basically a collector's item. If you're going to rebrand, do a full rebrand. Honor your past, but acknowledge the future.

I used to go to Millard South high school back in Nebraska, and they changed the name from Indians to Patriots (yes, it's very ironic.) around the time I got there. I could easily see the 'Skins going down a similar route.

Washington Generals
Washington Militia
Washington Brigade
Washington Colonials
Washington Minutemen
Washington Warriors

to name a few

[Billy B]

Keeping the name but changing the meaning is a nice idea. Unfortunately this is the NFL and not minor league baseball so having a potato as your mascot isn't going to work.

I'd also be against going with Washington FC or something like that. It's just going to encourage people to still refer to the team as the Redskins.

I really don't have a preference for a name change other than the things that I just ruled out. I'd be fine with Warriors and keeping the logos and uniforms or going with something entirely new. Not really a fan of Pigskins either. It's just too minor league for my taste.

[goforbroke]

Yankees, Canucks, etc --- there's a difference between a slang nickname... even if in some way derogatory, and Redskins. I completly disagree with you - but just for the sake of your argument - a name like that - or something like Rednecks or something - does not have a 500 year history of oppression murder and forced relocation behind it. So the Redskins name is offensive, the Yankees name (again I completly disagree with you but just to disprove your point) is a slang nickname but not hateful.

Besides - Your change to "satisy everyone" is basically removing the mascot. And I don't think the mascot is the question here. The name Redskins is what people want to change. The mascot/logo itself is actually pretty respectful, especially when compared to Chief Wahoo for example. I think if there was a more respectful name then no one would mind the logo at all. Put that logo with a name like Warriors, Braves, Potomics (which is a great suggestion ive heard) etc and it works great.

[MJWalker45]

Rename them the Braves from when they were in Boston. Done.

[Billy B]

Nobody is saying that Washington's logo is offensive.

[CC97]

No personal attacks

No insulting language

No sarcastic shots or jibes

We are going to do this civilized or we're not going to do this at all.

[derschwigg]

I've read through the thread a bit more, and you've all pointed something out to me: no one is complaining about the logo, it's just the moniker. Would a simple change back to "Braves" as someone suggested a few pages back (forgive me, I can't place your name) potentially solve all of this? The Washington Braves?

[wonderbread]

I've read through the thread a bit more, and you've all pointed something out to me: no one is complaining about the logo, it's just the moniker. Would a simple change back to "Braves" as someone suggested a few pages back (forgive me, I can't place your name) potentially solve all of this? The Washington Braves?

anything but redskins, savages or any other racial slur would fix the problem. The logo is perfectly fine. It shows a Native American in a very dignified manner.

[RyanB06]

I've read through the thread a bit more, and you've all pointed something out to me: no one is complaining about the logo, it's just the moniker. Would a simple change back to "Braves" as someone suggested a few pages back (forgive me, I can't place your name) potentially solve all of this? The Washington Braves?

No, because then you're stepping on MLB's toes, and it still doesn't solve the underlying problem, as the name and logo have, for better or worse, been pretty much linked together.

If they're going to break (and at this point they may well have to), better to start over. More money to be made that way.

[infrared41]

Can't remember where I saw it, but someone came up with this idea; change the name to Washington Americans, keep the logo, and make it a real tribute to "Native Americans." Best idea I've heard yet.

[IceCap]

If a satisfactory mascot can't be thought up, they can just go the New York Giants or Green Bay Packers route and just have the logo and word mark with no mascot

You're still pretending that the name isn't a racial slur, which it it. It's unsalvageable.

[OnWis97]

I've read through the thread a bit more, and you've all pointed something out to me: no one is complaining about the logo, it's just the moniker. Would a simple change back to "Braves" as someone suggested a few pages back (forgive me, I can't place your name) potentially solve all of this? The Washington Braves?

No, because then you're stepping on MLB's toes, and it still doesn't solve the underlying problem, as the name and logo have, for better or worse, been pretty much linked together.

If they're going to break (and at this point they may well have to), better to start over. More money to be made that way.

I don't love the "Braves" idea either, but I don't know if this is a concern. The recently-named Winnipeg Jets are an example (OK, so the NFL is not "threatened" by the NHL, but I don't know that it matters that two teams in two different pro sports have the same name). See Panthers, Cardinals, and Rangers.