Washington Redskins might change its name
The Washington Redskins may finally change its controversial name. Facing mounting pressure, the football team's owner, Dan Snyder - who had long resisted calls by critics - said Friday the team would undergo a thorough review of its moniker.
The statement came after he was pressured Thursday by its key sponsor FedEx. The package delivery company owns the naming rights to the stadium where the Redskins play. FedEx called for the National Football League club to be rebranded.
FedEx, along with sponsors Nike and PepsiCo, had received letters from a group of 87 investment firms and shareholders asking them to sever ties with the team unless it changes its name, according to a story on the NFL website.
PepsiCo said Friday it welcomed Snyder's call to review the name, as did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
The team name is widely seen as a racial slur against Native Americans. Critics amped up pressure to rebrand the team after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis.
Since then Confederate symbols and statues - which many Americans see as a symbol of oppression and slavery - have been under attack.
