Magic Johnson could see a name change coming for the Commanders.
Following Thursday’s sale of the Washington football team, the minority stakeholder went on the “TODAY” show and spoke with Craig Melvin about the rebuilding and rebranding of the once-proud Commanders.
“Everything’s on the table, right? Especially after this year. We’ll see where we are with the name, but I can’t say that right now,” Johnson, 63, said, according to USA Today.
Josh Harris, a private equity investor and owner of the NBA’s 76ers and the NHL’s Devils, completed his purchase of the team after the deal was unanimously approved by NFL team owners during a special session on Thursday.
Magic Johnson and David Blitzer, among the new owners of the Washington Commanders, look on during a press conference. Getty Images
Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, who has a minority stake in the Washington Commanders, greets fans. Getty ImagesFormer owner Dan Snyder’s record-setting $6.05 billion selling price surpasses the $4.65 billion Rob Walton paid for the Broncos in June 2022.
Snyder, 58, bought the Commanders and its stadium in Landover, Md., in 1999 for $800 million.
A franchise embroiled in controversy for the last decade, Harris, Johnson and the rest of their crew are tasked with cultivating a new winning culture on and off the field.
A name change may be part of the process.
“We’re going to spend this year understanding what we have in place,” Johnson said. “And then I’m sure that’ll come up. The Commanders, the name of the team, will come up eventually. But right now, we got enough work to do that will keep us busy.”
Magic Johnson at a press conference introducing the Commanders’ new ownership. Getty ImagesJohnson is now involved in ownership groups in four different leagues: The Dodgers in MLB, the Los Angeles Football Club in the MLS, the LA Sparks in the WNBA and now the Commanders in the NFL.
Johnson’s newly acquired squad was rebranded as the Commanders last February after playing two seasons as the Washington Football Team.
During Friday’s introductory press conference, Harris also addressed the potential name change.
Magic Johnson delivers remarks during a press conference introducing the team’s new ownership at on July 21, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. Getty Images“We got a lot to do. We gotta get the team ready to win football games,” Harris said, according to The Athletic. “We gotta get out in the community and start to pay it forward. … And we gotta change the stadium and change the fan experience. … Our three priorities are those, and that’s what we’re focused on right now… “
“It’s not about how I feel, it’s about how the city feels about all this stuff. … We’re going to look at everything and see where we are.”
