Harris Ownership Group addressing Commanders branding botch

Some of you have noticed that the marketing team out in Ashburn is up to something new.

Some may have observed that when you go to the Commanders’ official website, the first item of business is the announcement that season tickets are now available.

However, above that headline is the all-important header. Now, a header is something the web designer places at the very top of a web page, and for very sound reasons.

As the headlines will vary from week to week, the header will remain constant until the Commanders adjust their message.

The Commanders did make the adjustment, recently launching a new header that reads, “RAISE HAIL.” This is clearly intentional.

This, of course, is a direct shorthand reference to the team’s once-popular fight song, “Hail to the Redskins.” For instance, several years ago, while attending a high school football game in Florida, while climbing the bleachers, I noticed a male wearing a Redskins tee-shirt, so I voiced to him, “H-T-T-R.” Without blinking an eye, he replied, “Hail.”

The Harris Ownership Group (HOG) possesses acute business acumen. They are well aware that Daniel Snyder and Jason Wright were unsuccessful when they came up with “Commanders.” Even more, they know that Wright’s declaration that the fans were in on the choosing of “Commanders” is largely not true.

Has a transition been smoothly launched by the Harris Ownership Group (HOG)? They know so many outside the fan base would give them much grief if they attempted to return to “Redskins.” So, they won’t. Yet, isn’t this obviously an indirect reference (code) back to the historic name?

If no transition is being launched toward a new name, the HOG is at least unquestionably attempting to please its fan base in some small way. After all, this fan base has made it clear that they don’t like “Commanders,” nor do they like the uniforms that take on an ‘expansion team’ look rather than the once bold burgundy and gold.

Yes, the HOG was in a great position taking over for an owner who was not liked by the fan base. However, the HOG was also in an unenviable position when they inherited Snyder and Wright’s terrible new brand, “Commanders.”

Consequently, the HOG is stuck with “Commanders” for now. Yet, they are much more aware than the fan base of what this poor branding effort has done for the franchise financially.

This was illustrated when John Riggins, part of the most famous offensive play in franchise history, immediately proclaimed he felt “disenfranchised,” declaring he didn’t play for the “Commanders;” he played for the “Redskins.”

In addition to the new website header, Wednesday, the Commanders on X (formerly Twitter) announced a new rookie wallpaper, “Raise Hail.”

The HOG has the problematic obstacle of overcoming Snyder and Wright’s colossal branding failure. In fact, it was revealed days ago that “Commanders” merchandise sales are among the lowest in the NFL.

“Hail to the Redskins,” HTTR,” “Hail,” “Raise Hail,” and “Hail to the Harris Ownership Group,” who is addressing the monstrous branding/marketing wreck they’ve inherited.

Story originally appeared on Commanders Wire