The Dallas Rangers? It almost happened. That was franchise owner Clint Murchison Jr.’s first choice back in 1959, but a minor league baseball team already had that name. Murchison settled instead on Cowboys, changing the course of one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands in sports.
But team owners don’t always come up with the names themselves. Nearly half of the NFL’s 32 franchises started their search for a name by surveying the public through naming contests. Others used advisory committees or focus groups to find that perfect name.
On Wednesday, Washington announced its new team name: the Commanders. Other names that were in the mix included Armada, Presidents, Brigade, Redhawks, RedWolves, Defenders and Football Team. Washington’s process to find a new name took 20 months since it dropped its old one and included a survey to season-ticket…
