Take 4? New Owners Discuss Commanders Name Change – News Block

Once the Washington Redskins, then the Washington football team, the Washington Commanders are under new ownership and another possible name change

Following the sale of the NFL franchise to the group led by Josh Harris that includes former NBA great Magic Johnson, approved by the league’s owners on Thursday in Minnesota, it seems likely that the new owners have plans to bring a complete overhaul of the brand to Washington.

“Everything is on the table, especially after this year,” Johnson said Friday on the “Today” show. “We’ll see where we are with the name, but I can’t say that right now.”

Under Dan Snyder’s tenure as franchise owner since 1999, the Washington franchise had three team names in 24 seasons and two playoff wins.

Harris, the principal owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils, paid $6.05 billion to buy the franchise he grew up cheering for in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

“I feel a great responsibility to the city of Washington,” Harris said Thursday. “I know what I have to do. It all comes down to winning. It’s up to me and our ownership group to deliver. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Major organizational changes expected in the first year include rethinking the name and addressing dilapidated FedEx Field.

Harris is a general partner of Crystal Palace FC in the English Premier League and a minority shareholder of Joe Gibbs Racing. Johnson is part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles FC of MLS and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

Johnson broke down and was overwhelmed with emotion when he spoke Friday morning in an interview on “Today” about the importance of being able to sit in the owner’s box at games in Washington.

“I’m going to stand out not just for myself and my family, but for all African-Americans, by making sure that we can see each other in these seats,” Johnson said.

–Field level media