Washington defends team name amidst protests, government pressure

Washington team president Bruce Allen told reporters on Monday that the club still refuses to change its name, even if it means the franchise won’t be able to build a new stadium in the nation’s capital.

“No,” Allen said when asked whether the team would be willing to change its name, via The Washington Post.

The legal team behind the defendants, five Native Americans led by Amanda Blackhorse, hailed the decision.

“This is a huge victory. Getting this ruling from a U.S. District judge is a watershed event,” Jesse Witten, the lead litigating partner for the defense, told the Washington Post. “The team has been fighting this case so hard and leaving no stone unturned and scorching every square inch of earth that it’s hard to imagine they will not appeal.”

Leaders of the Fritz Pollard Alliance are calling on the Washington Redskins to change their name, according to the Washington Post. The alliance, which is responsible for promoting minority hiring throughout the NFL, has spent months attempting to persuade Washington owner Daniel Snyder to meet with Native Americans opposed to the team’s name.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance picked Martin Luther King Jr. Day to voice its opposition to the name in hopes of forcing a change of the controversial name. Leaders have even met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who said it was an issue that could only be addressed with Washington.

Jones has demurred when asked to weigh in on the name in the past. In June, he was asked about the decision by United States Patent and Trademark Office to cancel Washington’s registrations on its team name, which the office deemed offensive. At the time, Jones said, “I don’t have any statement on that, but as far as having team marks that aren’t protected, that’s a disadvantage.”

Jones staked his most recent stance on the name’s legacy, calling it “a great part of the tradition of the league.” Dallas will play Washington Monday night at AT&T Stadium.

Organizers have been at work for weeks planning a rally at University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium, the Vikings’ temporary home while their new stadium is built. More than 700 people protested when Minnesota hosted Washington last November, and even larger numbers are expected this time.

“This issue, this rally, is going to be shown all over the world,” said David Glass, president of the Minneapolis-based National Coalition Against Racism in Sports and Media.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler acknowledged the petition at a press conference Tuesday.

“There are a lot of names and descriptions that were used for a time that are inappropriate today,” Wheeler said. “I think the name that is attributed to the Washington football club is one of those.”