Source – Redskins to announce the nickname will be changed

The Washington Redskins will officially announce on Monday morning that they will change their nickname, although no new names are being released yet, a source confirmed on Sunday evening.

Washington was expected to change its name, and a source said on Saturday evening that an announcement of a new name would come soon.

Sports Business Daily, which announced Monday’s official announcement for the first time, said the new name is yet to be announced as branding issues are pending.

Last week, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the franchise would not use Native American imagery. The Washington logo of a Native American chief was designed by a Native American in 1971.

Another source told ESPN that the plan, for now, is to keep the franchise’s use of burgundy and gold colors. Coach Ron Rivera said the team also wanted to include the military in its new name.

The franchise said on July 3 that it would undergo a thorough review of its 87-year-old name, which some considered offensive. At this point, several sources have said that team owner Dan Snyder is already in talks with the league over a possible new name. Several sources said the name would change, but there was nothing official about the team.

Snyder had, for years, resisted any idea of ​​changing the name – telling USA Today in 2013 to “put the caps” that he would never do such a move. Some who worked for Snyder said they thought he would rather sell the team than use a new name. Although he is not sure what the next name will be, he is a source close to the situation, said Snyder enthusiastically.

Snyder had held rights in the Washington area over any possible expansion by the Arena Football League, and he was supposed to name this team the Warriors, even attempting to score the name – a quest he had abandoned.

Snyder and the franchise were under more pressure to change Washington’s nickname after the protests and riots that followed the death of George Floyd in May in Minnesota. Several weeks after Floyd’s death, several sources said Snyder had been discussing the name for several weeks with the league.

Meanwhile, a letter signed by 87 investors and shareholders with a total value of $ 620 billion was sent to the sponsors FedEx, PepsiCo and Nike, asking them to stop doing business with the team unless the name be changed. When it came out in an Adweek.com story on July 1, several people – including current and former employees – echoed the same thought: it’s over. Most, if not all, were unaware 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 issued statements saying the same thing. Amazon has said it will stop selling Redskins merchandise. Walmart and Target have said they will stop selling their equipment in stores. And according to the Washington Post, FedEx has said it will remove signage from the stadium unless the name is changed for the 2021 season.

FedEx signed a 27-year deal for $ 205 million in 1998. Their owner and CEO, Fred Smith, has been a minority shareholder in the franchise since 2003. However, he and the other minority investors, Dwight Schar and Bob, have reported several Rothman, want to sell their stakes.

Snyder, his sister and his mother own 60% of the franchise.