link to article edited: Washington Redskins name controversy
The number of high schools using the Redskins name has been in steady decline, 40% having had local efforts to change the name. From 1988 until April 2013, 28 high schools in 18 states had done so, with 62 schools using the name at that time.[1] Subsequently, 14 additional high schools changed as of December, 2016; bringing the total to 48. Students and faculty of Red Sea High School, a predominantly Native American populated school, is still one of the high schools that have not changed their mascots . They do not take offense to the term, they simply identify it as a 'potent symbol' in the controversy.[2]
Two professors at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University summarized their research in a New York Times editorial. Studies of college teams that have changed their names and mascots indicate that doing so has a long-term financial benefit. While vocal opponents of change often threatened withdrawal of support, these never materialized. There have been no name changes by professional teams; however, a comparison of NFL teams shows the highest negative trend in brand equity being the Washington Redskins and the Kansas City Chiefs, calling into question the business logic of retaining Native American names or logos that are offensive to even a minority.[3] In a commentary for Forbes, Tom Van Riper states that research specifically considering the fan loyalty and traditions of the team indicates that the value of the name as a brand is significant, and unlikely to change for business reasons.[4] However, an alternative opinion is that the team would benefit from a re-branding, but any new name would need to be carefully selected.[5] 2014 sales of Redskins merchandise declined 35% from the prior year. "People are having a second thoughts about wearing a T-shirt with the logo or name that it has now been called racist," said Matt Powell, senior analyst for SportsSourceOne. A team spokesman attributed the decline to dismal performance in the 2013 season, but other teams with bad records have not seen such a steep decline in sales.[6] Corporate sponsors have either made no public response to media inquiries regarding the name or stated that they play no role in the decision, and defer to the team and the NFL.[7][8]According to Travis Waldron from The Huffington Post, Dan Snyder has reportedly denied that there will be any name change even if the trademark protections were lost, which can lead the team to lawsuits and a lot of money being forfeited.[9] Despite the name controversy, the value of the team has risen $700 million to $2.4 billion (40%), making them the third most valuable franchise in the NFL, based upon the valuations published by Forbes magazine in 2014 and 2015.[10][11]
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- ^ "The Other Redskins". Retrieved October 20, 2013.
- ^ Shapira, Ian (2014-10-26). "At a Navajo high school, embracing 'Redskins'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ Michael Lewis; Manish Tripathi (June 24, 2014). "'Redskins' Is Bad Business". The New York Times.
- ^ "Why The Washington Redskins Will Never Change Their Name". Forbes. June 14, 2013.
- ^ Christian Turner (January 30, 2015). "The Redskins Should Change Their Name For The Sake Of Their Brand". MediaPost.
- ^ Chris Isidore (September 4, 2014). "Redskins gear stiff-armed by fans". CNN Money.
- ^ Mark Holan (June 25, 2014). "From Redskins sponsors, mostly silence — 'They are not in position to take public stands'". Washington Business Journal.
- ^ Ian Gordon; Matt Connolly (November 22, 2013). "Are Coke and FedEx Worried About Sponsoring the Redskins?". Mother Jones.
- ^ Waldron, Travis (2017-06-19). "The Supreme Court Just Made A Washington 'Redskins' Name Change Much Less Likely". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ Curt Autry (July 16, 2015). "Despite controversy, Redskins rise in value". WWBT.
- ^ "Forbes Announces The World's Most Valuable Sports Teams". Forbes. July 15, 2015.