The Washington Redskins announced Monday that they will withdraw their nickname and logo after completing a thorough review that began on July 3.
“Today we announce that we will remove the Redskins name and logo at the conclusion of this review,” the team said in a statement.
“Dan Snyder and coach [Ron] Rivera is working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the position of our proud and tradition-rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years. “
Washington was widely expected to change its name, and a source said Saturday night that a new name would be announced soon.
Sports Business Daily reported that the announcement of the new name has been delayed because of pending brand issues.
“The NFL and Dan Snyder finally made the right decision, and Change the Mascot congratulated them on it,” Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation representative and head of the Change the Mascot campaign, said in a statement Monday. “This is a good decision for the country, not just for the native people, as it closes a painful chapter of denigration and disrespect for Native Americans and other people of color. Future generations of young natives will no longer be subject to This offensive and damaging insult every Sunday during the football season.
“We have made it clear from the beginning that this movement was never concerned with political correctness, but rather with the intention of avoiding unnecessary harm to our youth, as we know from social scientists the many ill effects that this pet has had on the Native American self-image. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for the NFL and the Washington franchise, beginning a new legacy that may be more inclusive for fans of all backgrounds. “
Last week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the franchise would not use any Native American images. The Washington logo of an American Indian chief was designed by a Native American in 1971.
Another source told ESPN that the plan, as of now, is for the franchise to retain the use of burgundy and gold colors. Rivera had said that the team wanted to include the military in its new name.
The franchise said on July 3 that it will undergo a thorough review of its 87-year-old name that some consider offensive. At the time, multiple sources said, team owner Snyder was already in talks with the league about a possible new name. Multiple sources said the name would be changing, but there was nothing official from the team.
Snyder for years had resisted any consideration to change the name, telling USA Today in 2013 to “capitalize everything” that such a move would never make. Some who worked for Snyder said they believed they would rather sell the equipment than use a new name. While it’s unclear what the next name will be, it’s a source close to the situation Snyder was excited about.
Snyder had had the rights in the Washington area of any possible expansion by the Arena Football League, and he was expected to name that team the Warriors, even trying to name it, a search he had abandoned.
Snyder and the franchise were under more pressure to change Washington’s nickname after protests against social injustice began after George Floyd’s death in Minnesota in May. Within weeks of Floyd’s death, several sources said Snyder had been discussing the name for several weeks with the league.
During that time, a letter signed by 87 investors and shareholders with a total value of $ 620 billion was sent to sponsors FedEx, PepsiCo and Nike, asking them to stop doing business with the team unless the name is changed. When that was reported in an Adweek.com story on July 1, several people, including current and former employees, echoed the same idea – it’s over. Most, if not all, did not know that a possible change was already underway.
On July 2, FedEx released a statement saying it had told the team that it wanted the name changed. The other sponsors then released statements saying the same thing. Amazon said it would stop selling Redskins products. Walmart and Target said they would stop selling their equipment in stores. And, according to The Washington Post, FedEx said it would remove its signage from the stadium unless the name was changed for the 2021 season.
FedEx signed a 27-year, $ 205 million deal in 1998. The company’s owner and CEO, Fred Smith, has been a minority shareholder in the franchise since 2003. However, according to multiple reports, he and the other minority investors, Dwight Schar and Bob Rothman want to sell their bets.
Snyder, his sister, Michele, and his mother, Arlette, own 60% of the franchise.
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