After years of controversy over its name, the Washington Redskins has officially announced that it will change the name and thus the logo of the team.
The official announcement took place within a matter of days after the team announced that it will conduct a serious review of the brand and name. Native Americans have long asked the NFL team to change it name, as they considered the term Redskins to be offensive.
In the announcement, the Redskins said that they felt the need to inform both their sponsors and fans on how the procedure was taking place. The official announcement described the name change as retiring the name of Redskins, although it did not mention the new name.
Both Daniel Snyder, owner of the team, and head coach Ron Rivera are said to be working together closely in coming up with a new name for the team. They said that the aim is to come up with a brand that sponsors and fans can be proud of the next 100 years.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Rivera was a bit more specific as to what he and Snyder was considering when coming up with a new name. According to Rivera, the two are working to come up with a brand that will respect both the Native Americans and the US Army.
The renaming of the Redskins is the first major victory for the anti-racists protestors that have filled the streets across the US after the death of George Floyd. In the MLB, the Cleveland Indians are also evaluating their brand, which will most likely be affected by this announcement.
Terry Francona, who is in charge of the Indians, expressed his support for renaming the team, saying that now is the time to move forward.
The decision may come as a surprise because Snyder had remained rather adamant that he was not considering of developing a new brand for the team he owns.
Many experts believe that what moved Snyder was the pressure that the sponsors were putting. In particular, FedEx, which owns the naming right to the Redskins’ stadium, has been cited as a big factor in this process.
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Replaced!