Photo: Scott Taetsch/Getty
The Washington Football Team isn’t done making changes after their rebrand last year.
On Wednesday, the franchiseannouncedit would be doing away with a traditional cheerleading team and will instead have a coed dance group. The news comes after the franchise hired Petra Pope — an entertainment veteran who’s worked with cheerleading teams in the NBA — as a senior advisor.
“This is a dream opportunity,” Pope said in a press release. “Washington is one of the most historic franchises in the most popular league in the country. We have a chance to fundamentally transform what fans expect from the NFL experience.”
The football team — which dropped its original name in 2020 after criticism for using a term that is considered aracial slur toward Native Americans— said the new coed group will focus on athleticism, dance and entertainment, and Pope will evaluate everything from clothing to choreography.
Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty
“The NBA has long embraced innovative dance and halftime shows, but most NFL teams have remained more oriented towards traditional cheerleading programs,” Pope said in the statement.
“Fans can expect an experience like none other — a gender-neutral and diverse squad of athletes and dancers whose choreography, costumes, props, tricks and stunts will rival the best entertainment across genres and really inspire and ‘wow’ our fans,” she continued.
Former NFL player Jason Wright, who became the first Black team president in NFL history when he joined the franchise in August, said Washington is looking to “modernize” as it moves forward with its rebranding efforts.
“As we set out to modernize the Washington Football gameday, it’s important that we develop a top-notch entertainment program that keeps our fanbase excited and connected to the game and the team,” he said. “We believe Petra is the ideal person to lead this charge and bring her extraordinary background to the gridiron.”
RELATED VIDEO: NFL Star Alex Smith’s Leg Brace Transformed into a Lombardi-Style ‘Trophy of Triumph’
This will be the first time in half-a-century the franchise will not have a cheerleading team.
According toESPN, the contracts of the team’s former cheerleaders expire at the end of March, and they are welcome to try-out for the coed dance group, which may consist of 36 members. But some of them posted criticism of the handling of the situation onTwitter, where they claimed they only found out about thechange to the team on social media.
“It’s beyond disrespectful & honestly this all has been a nightmare because of how this was all handled,” a membertweeted.
source: people.com
