Washington NFL Team Retires Redskins Name, Logo; New Ones In Development
WASHINGTON (WJZ/AP) -- The Washington NFL franchise announced Monday that it will drop the "Redskins" name and Indian head logo immediately, bowing to decades of criticism that they are offensive to Native Americans.
The team made the announcement via social media Monday morning:
"On July 3rd, we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team's name. That review has begun in earnest. As a part of this process we want to keep our sponsors, fans and community apraised of our thinking as we go forward.
Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of this review.
Dan Snyder and Coach Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years."
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) July 13, 2020
The Washington Post reported that owner Daniel Snyder may already be eyeing a preferred new name for the franchise, but it's currently held up due to trademark issues. From the Post:
"On Sunday, two people with knowledge of the team's plans said that the preferred replacement name has been held up by trademark issues, which is why the team couldn't announce the new name Monday."
NFL's Washington Redskins Will Retire Team's Name On Monday
A new name must still be selected for one of the oldest and most storied teams in the National Football League, and it was unclear how soon that will happen. But for now, arguably the most polarizing name in North American professional sports is gone at a time of reckoning over racial injustice, iconography and racism in the U.S.
The move came less than two weeks after Snyder, a boyhood fan of the team who once declared he would never get rid of the name, launched a "thorough review" amid pressure from sponsors. FedEx, Nike, Pepsi and Bank of America all lined up against the name, which was given to the franchise in 1933 when the team was still based in Boston.
The team said it is "retiring" the name and logo and that Snyder and coach Ron Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design.
The team's colors -- burgundy and gold -- will remain. The team hopes to announce its new name before the start of the 2020 football season.
Native American advocates and experts have long criticized the name they call a "dictionary-defined racial slur." Over a dozen Native leaders and organizations wrote to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last week demanding an immediate end to Washington's use of the name. Goodell, who has fielded questions on the topic for years, said he supported the review.
Protests against the name predate Snyder buying the team in 1999, and, until now, he had shown no willingness to consider a change. Strong words from sponsors — including a company run by a minority stakeholder of the team — changed the equation.
FedEx earlier this month became the first sponsor to announce it had asked the organization to change the name, particularly important because CEO Frederick Smith owns part of the team. FedEx also paid $205 million for the long-term naming rights to the team's stadium in Landover, Maryland.
The lease at FedEx Field expires in 2027, and dropping the name keeps open various possibilities in Maryland, Virginia and Washington for the team's new stadium and headquarters. District of Columbia mayor Muriel Bowser has said the name was an "obstacle" to Snyder building on the old RFK Stadium site, which is believed to be his preference.
Washington recently started cutting ties with racist founder George Preston Marshall, removing his name from the Ring of Fame and renaming the lower bowl at FedEx Field for the team's first Black player, late Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell. Marshall, who renamed the Boston Braves the Redskins in 1933 and moved it to D.C. four years later, was a segregationist and the last NFL owner to integrate their team. The current logo shows the profile of a red-faced Native American with feathers in his hair.
Long removed from the glory days of winning Super Bowl titles in the 1982, 1987 and 1991 seasons under coach Joe Gibbs, Washington has just five playoff appearances in 21 years and no postseason victories since 2005. The team has lacked a nationally marketable player since Robert Griffin III's short-lived stardom, and the 2020 schedule features zero prime-time games for a franchise that used to be a draw.
Re-branding with a new name and logo — and perhaps the same burgundy and gold colors — coupled with turning football operations over to Rivera could be a boon for Snyder on and off the field. Even if a segment of the fan base opposes the change in the name of tradition, winning would more than make up for those losses.
Former player Donte Stallwart, who also played for the Baltimore Ravens, said the name should have been changed a long time ago.
"Finally the team is now going to move forward and not have this history of being the last team to integrate and having this name that is a direct racial slur," he said.
After the announcement, Redskins fans showed up at FedEx Field to stock up on merchandise before it disappears.
"It's a sad day," fan Mike Martin said.
Among the items Martin purchased was a hat for his unborn son.
"We wanted to get some stuff for him to have for when he grows up," Martin said.
Fan Rodney Johnson said while he was heartbroken, there are other things to consider.
"We are changing our name because of the Native Americans. It doesn't matter how I feel; it's how they feel," he said.
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