The Washington Commanders announced Thursday, the organization is bringing back its popular marching band next season after a two-year hiatus. The marching band has been a staple in the franchise going back to its early days in Washington in 1938.
Additionally, the band will feature a revamped arrangement of the team’s fight song. Both were dropped in part due to the pandemic and the franchise’s rebranding that included dropping its previous moniker.
Fans grew concerned about the tradition not returning. However, Commanders team president Jason Wright had maintained the band would return after the rebranding.
“We’re going to pull the fight song forward because it’s an essential part of the tradition and experience of this (team),” Wright to the Washington Times’ Matthew Paras.
The band will be led by Washington’s first-ever music director, Maestro Jeffrey Sean Dokken.
The 60-person ensemble will feature musicians from across the DMV and will be composed of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments, and debut at the Commanders Training Camp this summer.
Interested volunteers can submit their applications through the team’s website.
New uniforms The fight song has had various alterations throughout the years.
“I think Commanders fits well with the old fight song,” Wright said per Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington. “There’s stuff there that really connects well. That’s one of the reasons we really gravitated towards it.”
Last year, the team replaced its cheerleaders for a coed dance team following multiple sexual misconduct allegations within the program.
Washington officially rebranded as the Commanders on Feb. 2 with new uniforms, logo and crest. They also revealed a new slogan “Hail to the Commanders” and hashtag #HTTC during the NFL Draft which mimics its previous branding.
