Watch now:
NFL admits Redskins name change
(8:26)
As the NFL franchise in Washington reviews and considers changing its nickname “Redskins” amid pressure from various sponsors and public officials, another professional sports team has offered to help Washington get a new name. As Action Network’s Darren Rovell recently reported, the Harlem Globetrotters ‘parent company says it would “love” Washington to buy the rights to the name of the Washington Generals, which has been used by variations on the Globetrotters’ opponent since 1952.
Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) owns the trademark for both Globetrotters and Generals, the famous basketball exhibition teams. It was also less than three years ago that HFE revived the generals from a two-year hiatus to join the team rotation scheduled against Harlem, calling their Washington team part of “our heritage.”
And yet, according to Rovell, the company “would love for the (Washington NFL) franchise or the NFL to call us” on the purchase of the Generals’ name rights.
The generals had already been released as a possible replacement for the nickname “Redskins”, especially considering how their military issue would tie in with the Washington, DC area.
It is unclear whether Washington will, in fact, change its name, but all signs point to a new brand. After years of publicly declaring that he would “never” deviate from the club’s current identity, team owner Dan Snyder announced that the nickname would undergo a “thorough review.” Meanwhile, minority owner Frederick W. Smith has reportedly been advocating for a change for years, and new coach Ron Rivera believes it “would be incredible” if a new name were announced before the 2020 campaign.
