Washington officially announces name change -

The Washington Football Team officially announced that after 87 years, the team will be retiring the ‘Redskins’ nickname and logo.

The team announced on July 3rd that a thorough review of its name would take place after increasing pressure mounted from sponsors FedEx, Nike and Pepsi and a formal request was made to change the name.

A press release issued by the team this morning confirmed that “we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of this review”. The statement also states, “That review has begun in earnest”, before adding “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.”

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— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) July 13, 2020

At this stage there is no mention of a timeline for the completion of the thorough review, and no indication was given as to any new names under consideration for the franchise. It is likely however that things may move reasonably quickly, as the team will continue to be known as the Redskins until that review is complete, which would lead one to assume that it won’t be a long process.

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For many this is a sad day, and for others it is a day that should have come sooner, but what is clear is that the identity of the team will never be the same again. Fans opinions on the topic are not unanimous, and remain divided, but most seem to accept that although in many ways it is a sad and bittersweet sweet day, it is the right step for the franchise to take.
Speculation among fans will now continue to build and be discussed as to the new name of the franchise, a topic which has been hotly debated across a variety of social media platforms.

What is clear is that with a new name and logo comes the opportunity to create a new identity and traditions. Some may be understandably unwilling or unable to let the old ones go, but it is a chance for this once great, but more recently downtrodden franchise, to emerge as a respected power again, both on and off the field.