When the Washington Football Team announced it was taking fan submissions for a new team name, it expected a flood of suggestions.
The team announced this week that it received a total of 39,784 submissions through the website washingtonjourney.com and the mail at the team’s headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia.
“On behalf of the Washington Football Team organization and all involved in this process, thank you to the thousands of people who took the time to share their thoughts with us,” said Julie Jensen, Senior Vice President, External Engagement & Communications for the Washington Football Team. “This journey really showed that we’ve got not only some of the most passionate fans in the league but also some of the most creative.”
Washington received submissions from 61 countries across six continents. All 50 states were represented in the submissions, including every U.S. territory. Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia were heavily represented in the submission process.
Many young fans offered creative suggestions, while older fans offered their choices with heartfelt stories behind their fandom.
Special thanks to all that contributed to the nearly 40k name submissions, whether by mail or https://t.co/UYPQTBGZTn đź’›
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) April 23, 2021
Someone even suggested the name “Washington Wash Your Hands.” Yeah, that’s not likely to make the cut, but given the unprecedented times we live in, it is certainly unique.
Give credit to Washington Football Team president Jason Wright. The process of involving fans in the name change was a brilliant idea. The organization has been tone-deaf for over 20 years, creating fan apathy, and Wright has proven to be a breath of fresh air.