The Washington Redskins are no more. Monday, the NFL team announced they are retiring the team name and logo.
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) July 13, 2020
The announcement comes less than 2 weeks after the team said they would do a "thorough review" of the name and logo.
The team’s name has come under fire before, many believe the term is a slur against Native Americans. This year there was mounting public pressure on the team and sponsors.
Earlier this month, 87 investment firms and shareholders signed on to letters to FedEx, PepsiCo and Nike requesting they terminate their relationships with the team unless they change their name.
FedEx, who owns naming rights to the team’s stadium, publicly asked owners to change the name.
The team is working on a new name and logo, that will "enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years."
The Navajo Nation released a statement Monday in response to the team's decision, calling it a "historic day for all Indigenous peoples around the world."
"We must continue to work together to correct these issues and to shed light on the historical and current injustices that affect all Indigenous people. One of those remedies is to cease the use of the disparaging terms and logos among all teams and organizations. We must stand united in correcting our storied history," the statement reads.
Anticipating the change, retailers like Walmart, Target, Dick's Sporting Goods and Amazon pulled products with the old logo and team name last week from their stores.
