For more than two decades, FedEx’s name and corporate identity have been intertwined with one of the inherited franchises from the National Football League: the Washington Redskins.
The company paid the team $ 205 million for the naming rights to the Redskins’ stadium in Landover, Maryland, as part of a sponsorship deal that has suffered losses, coach changes and injuries to top players.
Thus, it served as a significant announcement Thursday when the shipping giant joined the ranks of Native American politicians and groups that have asked the team to withdraw the Redskins name.
The development came as Americans grapple with anachronistic symbols, from statues to pets to product packaging, which critics say are racist. The murder of George Floyd and riots over police misconduct reignited the debate, including a renewed push to rename the Redskins, which some say is a derogatory term.
“We have communicated to the team in Washington our request to change the name of the team,” FedEx said in a statement Thursday night.
FedEx would not comment further on the matter or address the status of its team sponsorship, owned by Daniel Snyder, who has long resisted calls for a name change. Frederick W. Smith, FedEx President and CEO, is also a minority owner of the Redskins.
The Redskins did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday night.
On the Nike retail website, the Washington Redskins were noticeably absent from a drop-down menu for the soccer jersey sale on Thursday. It was unclear if it was an intentional omission, and Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last week, the Redskins removed the name of the team’s original owner, George Preston Marshall, from the Ring of Fame inside FedEx Field. The franchise, which was the last to integrate its list, also deleted the name of Marshall from its website.
The team said it would rename the bottom bowl of the venue to Bobby Mitchell, the franchise’s first African-American star player.
During a radio interview last month, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the team should change its name, saying the problem was an “obstacle” to the team returning to play their local games in the city.
“I think it is time for the team to face what offends so many people,” he said, “and this is a great franchise with a great story that is beloved in Washington, and it deserves a name that reflects the affection we have. ‘We have built for the team.’
Before being elected, President Trump told The New York Times that he had no problems with the team’s name.
“I honestly don’t think they should change the name unless the owner wanted to,” he said in a 2015 interview.
