Washington Commanders' logo, uniforms team crest, explained
Washington’s NFL team unveiled its new name, logo and look Wednesday, a new chapter for a franchise seeking to commemorate its rich history while also embracing its future.
Here’s what you need to know about each element.
Primary logo
The team opted for what it calls a “powerful ‘W’ ” for its primary logo, the one that will appear on helmets and will surely by the most visible aspect of the franchise’s new identity.
By showcasing the “W,” the team is emphasizing its roots in the Washington region. It plays its home games in Maryland and is headquartered in Virginia but saw most of its success in the District.
The angled cuts and serifs at the top of the “W” are intended to depict progress and forward movement.
The logo gives a nod to the military with slanted stripes the team says are inspired by military rank insignia.
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Team crest
Washington has included a team crest as part of its relaunched brand, an element that is much more common in the soccer world than the NFL.
The top of the crest features the broad “Washington Football” branding, which encompasses the team’s previous iterations and honors its long history in the region. The years displayed at the bottom commemorate the team’s two world championships and three Super Bowl titles.
The upper-left and bottom-right quadrants mark the franchise’s founding in 1932, when it was called the Boston Braves. It relocated to Washington in 1937.
The upper-right quadrant features the “W” logo, which the team says symbolizes the franchise’s future, and the lower-left includes three stars, a nod to the D.C. flag.
Word mark
The word mark, a term for the typography of the team’s name, is styled in all-caps, meant to signify “tall and proud” letters. The cuts in the “C” are intended to lead the eye across the mark.
The two stripes are another nod to the D.C. flag, further reinforcing the team’s deep roots in the nation’s capital.
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Uniforms
The team opted to retain its familiar burgundy and gold colors but still gave the uniforms an updated look.
The helmet might feature a familiar color scheme, but it’s very different. It has just one vertical gold stripe down the middle and a dark face mask, rather than the gold mask the franchise featured during its glory years. The helmet during the two-season Washington Football Team era also featured a gold mask. But the WFT’s burgundy helmet had no stripe.
The likely home uniform is burgundy, almost head to toe, with gold accents used on the numbers, lettering and sleeves. The team name appears above the player’s number, framed by two stripes, a nod to the Washington, D.C., flag. The numbers feature stripes that are reminiscent of military rank insignia, similar to the “W” logo.
The all-white uniform will most likely be used on the road and features the city name — “Washington” — above the player numbers.
The all-black look will be the team’s alternate uniform. It will be used sparingly in-season but will surely be available for fans to purchase. Unlike the other two uniforms, the all-black version features a small burgundy and gold version of the D.C. flag on the right shoulder.
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