NFL fans are trolling the team formerly known as the Redskins for revealing their hotly-anticipated new name on Thursday: Washington Footb...
NFL fans are trolling the team formerly known as the Redskins for revealing their hotly-anticipated new name on Thursday: Washington Football Team.
In an announcement on Thursday, the team said: 'We're retiring our old name - and building a new kind of team. For the upcoming season, we're calling ourselves The Washington Football Team.'
The new logo is the word Washington with the 'Football Team, EST 1932' beneath it. It replaces the old logo, which was of a Native American chief.
Sponsors started calling for a name change earlier this year as the Black Lives Matter movement swept America, wiping out anything that was deemed historically racist.
The Redskins name, critics argued, was steeped in racism against Native Americans, and was no longer tolerable in the 2020 climate of equality.
This is the team's new logo, unveiled on Thursday as they launched their rebranding
The announcement was widely mocked on social media
The team vowed to change and took suggestions such as the Red Hawks, Red Wolves and the Washington Warriors.
Even though it's temporary, fans leaped on the 'boring' new name.
Among critics was Lebron James who joked on Twitter: 'Just waking back up from my pregame nap to see about The Washington Football team??? Is that real??
This is the team's old name and logo. As the Black Lives Matter movement swept America earlier this year, so too grew calls to do away with racially insensitive terminology that applied to Native Americans. It resulted in sponsors deciding the Redskins' name and logo were racist
'No way! Oh man they had a thorough intense long board meeting about that one huh.'
Dez Bryant, who used to play for Oklahoma State, said: 'Who you play for? The Washington football team.. naw that ain't it
'For some reason that alone makes me feel it won't be a football season.. I'm sad seriously. No disrespect to Washington football team but that's a soul crusher not to have a football name.'
Others said it was a fittingly bleak result for 2020.
'Washington Football Team' is exactly what I would expect for 2020,' one said.
Others were more outraged, and asked where the 'political correctness' would end.
'Florida State Football Team. Cleveland Football Team. Chicago Hockey Team... where does it end!' said one user.
The Cleveland Indians are also changing their name and are planning to meet with Native Americans to discuss what may be an appropriate alternative.
Owner Paul Dolan gave more details on the steps the team is undertaking on a potential name change amid a national movement to remove racist symbols and monuments.
Earlier this week, Dolan met with Cleveland's players, front-office members and manager Terry Francona to discuss the possibility of a name change as well as other issues such as social justice and race relations.
Dolan called the talks 'candid and productive.'
'Our players care about the organization and feel strongly about social justice and racial equality,' Dolan said on the eve of the team's delayed season opener. 'I support their interest in using their platform to unite our city and our nation through their actions.
'As I explained to our players, I am invested in engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to help determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.
'In the coming weeks, we will engage Native American leaders to better understand their perspectives, meet with local civic leaders, and continue to listen to the perceptions of our players, fans, partners and employees.
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