Well, the Washington Commanders are staying the Washington Commanders — whether you like it or not. And a lot of you don't like it.
Take a Washington Post poll, for instance. It revealed that 54 percent of those who voted either dislike or downright hate the Commanders nickname.
"Among just local Commanders fans, the antipathy toward the name is even more stark — 58 percent say they don't like it," the Post reported. "In fact, only 16 percent of Commanders fans think the team should keep the name, while most say they would like the team to change to a different name. Again."
The Commanders changed their nickname from the Washington Redskins to the Washington Football Team several years back. The previous nickname was viewed as being insensitive to Native Americans.
Interestingly, in August, the Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) led an online petition to restore the team's name to the Redskins. That petition had more than 128,000 signatures by August 29. The Commanders stayed oddly silent on that matter.
But they are talking about the Commanders — and so much for the majority ruling. They're keeping the name despite the polls, it seems.
No less than Marjorie Harris, the wife of majority owner Josh Harris, said so.
"That name issue is going to be on the side for now until we can get things going," Marjorie Harris told reporters. "I had a whole day out in the community and I kept referring to the team as the Commanders. And you know what? It sounds pretty good to me... for now, it's the Commanders."
OK, she said for now. That means there's a chance, right? If the Commanders do change it, you can't help but wonder if it will be back to the Redskins. That should be the Post's next poll, actually.
Only 16 percent of Commanders fans think the team should keep the name, while most say they would like the team to change to a different name. Again. https://t.co/noNB3hlIk4
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 29, 2024
"The Washington football franchise was known as the Redskins going back to 1933 when they began in Boston," wrote Larry Brown of Larry Brown Sports. "They won three Super Bowls with that nickname and were highly successful from the '70s through the early '90s. That's when so many of their fans developed a love for the team.
"So many of the team's fans love the Redskins name so much that any name change would have bothered them, so that's part of the obstacle the team is fighting. But some fans even just prefer the 'Washington Football Team' name the team held from 2020-2021 more than the Commanders nickname they have had since 2022."
