Jason Wright: We hope to have chosen a new name by the middle of next year

Washington team president Jason Wright caused a stir last week when he said in an interview that it was likely that the franchise would still go by the “Washington Football Team” in 2021.

Now, in a new blog post, Wright explained why that’s the case. 

Writing on Washington’s website, Wright wrote that he hopes the team will decide on a new name midway through 2021 — adding that the team won’t reveal it immediately until other steps in the process are complete.

That work involves designing a new logo, coming up with new merchandise and securing trademarks, among other things.

“Let’s say we reveal our new name at some point before the beginning of the 2021 season without going through all the detailed design work of a new logo, creating merchandise, and clearing the legal hurdles to secure it all,” Wright wrote. “Not only would that make for a trademarking headache, but it would also be an embarrassing and chaotic launch to what should be a proud and poignant moment for the franchise.

“And if I’ve heard one thing consistently from you, it’s that you want a professionalized organization, not prone to knee-jerk reactions and making smart business decisions.”

That approach differs slightly from how other teams have approached their rebrands. When the Washington Bullets rebranded to the Washington Wizards in the late 1990s, the team introduced its name first and then unveiled a logo months later. The Charlotte Hornets also had a similar rollout when the tam rebranded from the Bobcats to the Hornets in 2014.

Washington is in search for a new name after abandoning its old Redskins moniker in July. The team had faced pressure to make the change in wake of pressure from activists and corporate sponsors who argued that the name was offensive.

Two weeks after retiring the name, Washington announced it would go by the “Washington Football Team” on a temporary basis while it began the rebranding process.

The team had said then that the process would take anywhere from 18 to 24 months to complete.

“We are off to a good start, but finding a new identity is typically a long process,” Wright wrote. “The Seattle Kraken (super dope name in my opinion!) took four years to launch their brand. It was a two-year process for the Los Angeles Rams to change their logo. We are moving at a quicker pace because we know you want this completed and we do, too. But, at the same time, we want to do right by [the fans], and that does take time.”