Redskins agrees review of team's name

Image copyright Getty Images

The Washington Redskins American football team will review its name after calls to change it from big sponsors.

Its headline sponsor, Fedex, joined a chorus demanding a change to its controversial name on Thursday.

The Washington DC-based team has faced repeated calls to make the change to its name, which is considered offensive to Native Americans.

FedEx made the request at the behest of its own investors.

Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins, said: "This process 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 (NFL) and the local community."

At the turn of the millennium, FedEx paid $205m (£165m) for the naming rights to the Redskins' 82,000-seat stadium in Maryland. The deal expires in 2025.

But that is not the delivery giant's only tie to the team. The boss and founder of FedEx, Frederick Smith also owns a minority stake in the Redskins.

The team has come under sustained pressure to change its name for decades.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Native Americans and supporters protesting against Redskins' name and logo

Six years ago, FedEx shareholders voted to allow the Redskins to keep its name after the shipping giant received a complaint from the Wisconsin-based Oneida Indian tribe.

But as firms assess their stance on issues around race, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, FedEx has now called for the team to rebrand.

Last week, 87 investment firms and shareholders wrote to FedEx, along with fellow Redskins' sponsors Nike and PepsiCo, calling on the firms to sever ties with the Redskins, according to trade publication AdWeek.

"'Redskins' remains a dehumanising word, characterizing people by skin colour and a racial slur with hateful connotations," the letter written to PepsiCo said.

"We have been in conversations with the NFL and Washington management for a few weeks about this issue," a PepsiCo spokesperson said.

"We believe it is time for a change. We are pleased to see the steps the team announced today, and we look forward to continued partnership."

As of Thursday, Nike's website did not display any Redskins merchandise. The Washington-based team was the only one of the 32 NFL teams no longer listed in the site's index.

Nike did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment.

In the past, the team's owner Mr Snyder has remained steadfast on keeping the name, calling it a "badge of honour".