The Washington Redskins have officially announced they will undergo a ‘thorough review’ of their team name, with the implication that it may finally be changed after years of pressure to find a new name.
Many sponsors, such as Bank of America, Inova, PepsiCo, and FedEx, have all publicly supported the announcement. An announcement which comes on the heels of racially driven protests that have rocked the United States since the death of George Floyd in police custody on May 25th.
Team owner Dan Snyder has refused to change the team name for years, previously saying that he believes the name honors Native Americans, but now says the review “allows the team to take into account not only the proud tradition and history of the franchise but also input from our alumni, the organization, sponsors, the National Football League and the local community it is proud to represent on and off the field.”
The change of heart may have been influenced by a recent decision by D.C. officials who have said the team will not be allowed to play in their planned new stadium in the city unless they change their name and logo.
“There is no viable path, locally or federally, for the Washington football team to return to Washington, D.C., without first changing the team name.” D.C.’s deputy mayor John Falcicchio stated.
A shortlist of potential official new teams names has been floated, including names like Washington Redtails, Washington Redhawks, and Washington Warriors.
The Redtails name is in reference to the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American fighter pilots who fought in World War II.
Fans have lit up social media with their own suggestion. Some popular fan suggestions for the name change are Washington Redhogs, Washington Generals, Washington Monuments, and Washington Renegades.
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