Having not spent a lot of time at Wizards games before I began covering the team last season, I was a little taken aback by the massive fireball-producing Wizard that was used during player introductions the first time I covered a game.
That appears to be nothing compared to what Ted Leonsis has going after undertaking a massive list of mostly fan-suggested changes at Verizon Center since taking over the team at the beginning of the summer.
The full list is here, and the scope reaches from the moment fans walk into the building – with new carpets, more visible signage, improved concession and restroom experiences – all the way to the stairs – now painted red – and into the game itself – with new lighting and interactive features with the video screen and better sound.
And no “Dee-fence” chants.
But what is certain to catch your eye is “under consideration,” as a response to the suggestion that the team be renamed the “Bullets.”
Let’s recap what we know. First, the Wizards will go back to red, white and blue next year. It makes sense, not only from point of view that these were the team colors when the team was called the Bullets, but also because that would streamline the branding with the Capitals, and it’s Washington, D.C., for goodness sake.
But Bullets could still be a difficult sell, given the reasons that the team moved from that name in the first and the events of last December. Even if there’s overwhelming public support, the NBA might not feel the same way. It’s probably more accurate to say that “Bullets,” and likely other names, too, are under consideration. Leonsis is certain to explore all the options before making a decision.
