Jason Wright: Washington’s new name won’t be the Warriors

Take that off the list

Jason Wright has done several interviews this week discussing topics like the changes to the front office over the last year, the team’s stadium search, and the team’s new name. He said the team would announce their new name in early 2022. They have been get fan input on the new name for months, but haven’t given a list of finalists.

One name that we definitely know it won’t be is one that has been linked to the franchise for a while, the Warriors. Wright said they have has extensive discussions with Native American communities, and they are planning a complete break from using any name/logo associated with them. This eliminates Warriors, and now fans can move on to other options.

In the spirit of that engagement, I want to address a name that has emerged amongst our fanbase, “Warriors.” One might look at this name as a natural, and even harmless transition considering that it does not necessarily or specifically carry a negative connotation. But as we learned through our research and engagement with various groups, “context matters” and that makes it a “slippery slope.” Feedback from across communities we engaged clearly revealed deep-seated discomfort around Warriors, with the clear acknowledgment that it too closely aligns with Native American themes. Such an embrace of potentially Native-adjacent iconography and imagery would not represent a clear departure that many communities have so forcefully advocated for us to embrace, and that frankly, we set out to do when we started this process a year ago.

We have 89 years of history in this league and failing to acknowledge our past use of Native imagery in the consideration of the new name wouldn’t be mindful of the individuals and communities that were hurt by the previous name. We’ve made significant changes in our organization and our culture, and our new name must reflect these changes. To that end, we will choose an identity that unequivocally departs from any use of or approximate linkage to Native American imagery.

I know this may be disappointing for some folks. But as I have said many times before, our new identity should unite us. It should bring us together the way this team comes together on the football field and the way we have seen our Fans come together and proudly support our Team and our DMV community.