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Washington Redskins main sponsor Fedex has asked the football team to change its controversial name.
The Washington, DC-based team has faced repeated calls to change its name, which is considered offensive to Native Americans.
Following investor pressure, FedEx on Thursday added its voice to the calls.
“We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that the name of the team be changed,” he said in a statement.
At the start of the millennium, FedEx paid $ 205 million (£ 165 million) for the naming rights to the Redskins’ 82,000-seat stadium in Maryland. The agreement expires in 2025.
But that’s not the delivery giant’s only link to the team. FedEx chief and founder Frederick Smith also has a minority stake in the Redskins.
The team has been under sustained pressure to change its name for decades.
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Native Americans and supporters protesting the Redskins name and logo
Six years ago, FedEx shareholders voted to allow the Redskins to keep their name after the shipping giant received a complaint from the Wisconsin-based Oneida Indian tribe.
But as companies assess their stance on race-related issues, following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, FedEx has called for the team to rebrand.
Last week, 87 investment firms and shareholders wrote to FedEx, along with Redskins sponsors Nike and PepsiCo, asking firms to cut ties with the Redskins, according to AdWeek.
“‘Redskins’ remains a dehumanizing word that characterizes people for skincolour and a racial slur with overtones of hatred,” the letter to PepsiCo said.
As of Thursday, the Nike website did not list any Redskins merchandise. The Washington-based team was the only one of the 32 NFL teams no longer listed in the site index. Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the past, team owner Dan Snyder has been adamant about keeping the name, calling it a “badge of honor.”
The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
