The Monumental Challenge of Rebranding a Sports Team

The fans remember the highlights but the franchises remember the technology, data, and inventions that powered their season. Host Tyler Kern sits down with the innovators, leaders and founders that are taking sports into the future.

 

In July of 2020, the Washington football team ditched their previous name under intense social and economic pressures. The team plans to stick with their generic name until early 2022.

Marketing strategy and activation firm Metaforce conducted a simulation to rename the team. They performed a series of panels and focus groups involving players and long-time fans to rename the team.

On this episode of Salary Capped, Host Tyler Kern talked with Allen Adamson, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Metaforce, about the rebranding of the NFL franchise, which doesn’t happen that often. Metaforce marketing company has deep expertise with strategy, go-to-market planning, branding, creativity, and activation.

When Adamson initially heard news stories about the Washington Football team changing the name, he hoped they didn’t move fast, as the reports mentioned, because it would be hard.

“The older the name, the more heritage there is, the harder it is to replace it because everyone is so in that world that everything else looks terrible.” – Allen Adamson

Adamson said they did what they did with any other corporate or product client. They interviewed management to find what is at the heart of their organization. They also talked to former players and fans to try to identify what is at the root of the organization, besides the name. They dug into the DNA, the culture, the stories such as “what fathers tell their sons about the team.”

Listen to hear more about what goes into the renaming of an NFL franchise.

Listen to Previous Episodes of Salary Capped Right Here!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

How Hotels Bounce Back From the Unexpected
How Hotels Bounce Back From the Unexpected
September 4, 2025

In this episode of Inside Restoration & Recovery, host Martha Lewis sits down with Josh Creznic, Director of Hospitality Services at BMS CAT, to unpack the unique challenges and critical priorities in hotel restoration. With over two decades of experience in hospitality—spanning major brands like Marriott and Wyndham—Josh brings deep insight into how restoration…

Read More
Built from the Dirt Up: Dillan Dumont’s Journey from Bricklayer to Industry Disruptor
September 4, 2025

With all types of infrastructure across America aging, there has never been more of a need for smarter, less disruptive solutions than now. From trenchless pipe repair to utility innovation, the construction world is shifting and young leaders like Dillan Dumont are stepping into the spotlight. Cities like New York and Chicago are facing…

Read More
mission-led
Calm First. Chaos Later: Sustaining Well-Being and Mission-Led Impact With Boundaries, Reflection, and Advocacy
September 3, 2025

Conversations about well-being are evolving beyond individual health to include the culture, values, and impact of the brands we support. Today’s connected world exposes young people to bullying across more channels than ever before. In 2024, the CDC reported that 40% of high schoolers experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness, while StopBullying.gov noted that 19.2%…

Read More
Goldey-Beacom College
Workforce Success and Innovation-Driven Growth with President Keith of Goldey-Beacom College
September 3, 2025

As higher education institutions face declining enrollments and increasing pressure from employers for skills-based learning, small colleges are rethinking their missions. A whopping 70% of U.S. employers say they struggle to find workers with the right skills, and credential-based programs are gaining traction as a solution. At the intersection of tradition and transformation, Goldey-Beacom College…

Read More