This isn't correct, he changed the name because the sponsors started ditching the team. It had nothing to do with deflecting anything.
I suppose you believe the recent McLaurin extension was also designed and timed to "deflect" from Congressional hearings.
Also incorrect.
You have to remember that when the whole crisis was going down the big dominos in terms of FedEx complaining as well as Nike were pretty significant. When sponsors started demanding a name change (and the sponsors control the money) Snyder had no choice but to change the name.
It had nothing to do with stadium deals, or deflecting anything. It was a purely selfish reason that the money faucet the Commanders former name brought in would take a hit with the current name. So they changed it. It had nothing to do with being woke, being progressive, stadium deals (which STILL have not progressed since the name change) or "deflections" to distract the sheep from turmoil.
Well, the thing is, those "sponsors" were a-ok with the "R" name for years. As far as a hit to the bottom line, I highly doubt the team's name was a significant worry. People are going to Fedex their stuff regardless, especially when at the time, the pandemic upped the delivery volume. Plus, the team was already irrelevant to outsiders. If Snyder lost fans, it's because he whipped up his own reputation as a clueless rich boy with lots of money but no understanding of how to build a winner, while also running a workplace with a toxic culture that undermined his coaches.
Dan Snyder's forte is precisely marketing. He knows the tricks to attract attention. By extension, he would also know "bad marketing" and not getting attention. The crap he allowed and possibly did personally could be very well in Harvey Weinstein territory but the public reaction is nowhere near that firestorm because he utilized "bad marketing" intentionally.
The interim name, "Washington Football Team" had the connotations of "joke" and even an illegitimate or "minor league" football team. That psychological response is exactly what someone who wants to hide wants, especially since they hung on to the name until the next convenient time. People register "team without a name", laugh at it, and then just move on.
The unveiling of the "Commanders" name was on a hearing day where Snyder would be personally implicated and accused, with more than just the woman victim, but another male organizational insider.
The Brian Flores suit also appears "independent", but the lawyers hammered out the filing and filed that in extremely rapid time for lawyers(less than 3 business days at most).
The combination of events basically dilute the coverage in the media on the airwaves on Feb 2 and the days before and after. Fewer ears hear the news and some pay attention to the news that they are more personally invested in.
