WASHINGTON — Monday's Most DC Thing comes courtesy of The Washington Football Team, who posted an open call to submit a “name idea, a logo or artwork that you've created, or a video testimonial.”
Here's the catch. The disclaimer said that in sending in your submission, you “irrevocably grant, transfer, and convey to the Washington Football Team, free and clear of any and all liens and encumbrances, all of your right, title, and interest in, to, and under the content, together with the goodwill associated therewith, worldwide, including but not limited to all concepts, ideas, images, trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property.”
That’s legalese for “your ideas belong to us now.”
The team asking fans to submit name suggestions, but not paying anything for them, is the most Washington Football Team thing ever.
They should, at least, give the person who provides the winning suggestion a pair of lifetime season passes. That way they’ll end up making money off the winner from the concession stand alone. They don’t even have to provide good seats. Just free ones are enough to have people fighting for them here in D.C.
This suggestion is the Most DC Thing because we all want to see this name change go well. We also don’t trust the team to get it right on their own. We're looking forward to the winning fan art suggestions that someone will most likely not get paid for.