At a time when the developments in the Redskins name debate had become fairly predictable, here’s a bit of a curveball.
According to TMZ, a neighbor of team owner Daniel Snyder has registered the name “Washington Bravehearts” for federal trademark protection.
Aris Mardirossian, described by TMZ as a “wealthy patent investor,” explains in the filing that he plans to use the name for "[e]ntertainment in the nature of football games.”
It’s unclear whether Mardirossian has squatted on the name as a favor to Snyder or whether Mardirossian is risking neighborhood harmony in the name of some good, old-fashioned prospecting.
Either way, there’s now a chance that fans who would be inclined to paint their faces entirely red could eventually opt for patches of blue.
UPDATE 1:56 p.m. ET: In a statement issued to PFT, the Redskins said there’s no connection between the trademark application and the team.