It’s official: The Washington Redskins are getting a new name, as well as a new team logo. The NFL team has been under increased pressure in recent weeks following recent national protests, but this has been a long-standing controversy that has been going on, in some capacity, since the 60s. While the move had been suspected, it’s now been made official.
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) July 13, 2020
The news was confirmed by a statement made on the team’s website and official social media accounts. While the name and logo will be retired, a new name has yet to be announced. The statement from the Washington Redskins reads as follows.
“On July 3rd, we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team’s name. That review has begun in earnest. As part of this process, we want to keep our sponsors, fans and community apprised of our thinking as we go forward. Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of this review. Dan Snyder and Coach Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years.”
It has been reported that the delay in announcing a new name has to do with trademark issues that are being ironed out. There is no official indication as to what it will be. It’s expected that no Native American imagery will be used, but the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins is expected to keep its burgundy and gold colors. It is worth noting that the current team logo, depicting an American Indian chief, was instituted by Walter Wetzel, a Native American, in 1971.
Dan Snyder, the longtime team owner, has resisted calls to change the Redskins’ name for years. In a 2013 interview with USA Today, Snyder declared that he would never consider it, telling the publication to “put it in all caps.” But pressure mounted following the death of George Floyd. A letter signed by 87 investors was sent to sponsors such as FedEx, Pepsi and Nike, requesting they no longer do business with the team unless the name was changed. FedEx then told the team they wanted the name changed, with Walmart and Target saying they would stop selling team merchandise in their stores.
The change will likely be costly, as the team will have to change all of its signage, clothing and everything else that carries the old name and logo. As for the 2020 NFL season, things remain uncertain right now. The league is trying to hammer out a plan to carry on games safely but no plan has been revealed as of yet. Most major sports, including the MLB, NBA and NHL, have had a difficult time finding a path forward with the current situation. This news comes to us directly from Redskins.com.
