Could Redskins replacement name be Sentinels?

Following the Thursday announcement that the Ashburn-based National Football League team formerly known as the Redskins would simply be called the Washington Football Team this season, social media platforms have been a playing ground for best bets on what the team’s permanent name will be. 

But fans may not be left in the dark for long if this discovery has any meaning: MarkMonitor Inc., the San Francisco-based domain registration and management company that manages the Redskins.com URL, also took over a domain called DCSentinels.com on July 15, according to domain registration records.

Social media users now speculate that the team might secretly be planning to rename itself the D.C. Sentinels.

MarkMonitor first registered the Redskins.com domain in 1996, and most recently updated the domain on June 26. The DCSentinels.com domain was first registered on Aug. 15, last year, was taken over by MarkMonitor on July 15, only two days after the team announced it would retire the Redskins name and logo after 88 years in use. 

The Sentinels team name was formerly discussed for use by the Washington, D.C.-based professional XFL football team the Defenders, according to reports, and the domain name DCSentinels.com was previously managed by the XFL. The Defenders team was first founded in 2018 and first played this February. The XFL is a winter and spring professional football league that was set to play a 10-game season this year, which was interrupted by COVID-19.

“The XFL is trying to sell its assets,” sports reporter Darren Rovell tweeted. “But its most valuable asset it might have gotten rid of for free. In December, they abandoned their trademark for the DC Sentinels, having chosen the Defenders instead. One of the favorites to replace Redskins is now the Sentinels.”

The XFL is trying to sell its assets. But it’s most valuable asset it might have gotten rid of for free. In December, they abandoned their trademark for the DC Sentinels, having chosen the Defenders instead. One of the favorites to replace Redskins is now the Sentinels.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 22, 2020

And although some social media users see the domain management as a key insight into what the Washington team has yet to reveal, nothing has been confirmed as of yet. 

“The decision to use ‘Washington Football Team’ for this season allows the franchise the ability to undertake an in-depth branding process to properly include player, alumni, fan, community and sponsor input,” according to the Thursday statement from the Washington Football Team.

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