The pressure is on that the owner of the Washington football team, Dan Snyder, change the name of the team. While calls to rename the team have been around for years, the situation escalated on Wednesday as authorities told Snyder that he could not build a new stadium on the RFK site unless the team changes its name. , according to the Washington Post.
That ultimatum comes courtesy of US representative Raúl M. Grijalva, according to The Post.
Grijalva, whose committee oversees the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service, which owns the land, called the possibility of a Redskins stadium on the site “non-title”, both to himself and to the Democratic committee, given the objections to what he called a “racist nickname”, as well as strong views on how to honor the legacy of Robert F. Kennedy, who championed social justice and inclusion, in any development of the site.
“Time [for the name] it’s over, ”said Grijalva. “There is no way to justify it. Either you enter this century or not. It is up to the team owner to do that. “
Other officials supported Grijalva’s statement, including Congresswoman Elenor Holmes Norton and Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio. Mayor Muriel Bowser has also indicated that she is in favor of the team changing its name.
Snyder is looking to move the team to another location once his lease with FedEx Field expires in 2027. Snyder is supposed to be looking to build the new stadium on the RFK site. The franchise used to play at RFK Stadium, but left the location in 1996 to move to FedEx Field.
In March 2019, a bill was introduced that would sell the land around RFK to Washington, DC. Residents and officials would be allowed to determine how that land would be used. Snyder wants him to build a new stadium, and has tried to pass legislation that makes his wish easier.
Snyder has faced increased pressure to rename the team after George Floyd’s death. On Wednesday, investors worth $ 620 billion signed letters asking FedEx, PepsiCo and Nike to end their relationships with the franchise. Those investors argue that those companies run counter to their stated commitments to diversity by supporting a team called “Redskins,” which some consider a racial slur.
Other teams and sports leagues have removed racist iconography in the wake of protests stemming from Floyd’s death. The Minnesota Twins removed a statue of former owner Calvin Griffith, who made racist remarks. NASCAR banned the Confederate flag from their careers.
The Washington soccer team made at least one similar change, removing former team owner George Preston Marshall’s name from the team’s website and the wall of honor. Under Marshall, Washington was the last NFL team to join. He only did so after Marshall was told that the team would not be able to play at RFK Stadium unless he joined. Marshall is the person responsible for giving his name to the team.
New head coach Ron Rivera was also asked about the team’s name on Monday. Rivera sidestepped the question, saying it was not the time to speak on the subject.
Snyder has vehemently opposed changing the team name in the past. In 2013, Snyder said, “I would never change the name of the team.”
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