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.
Washington president Bruce Allen refuses to change team name even if it means no D.C. stadium
The franchise continues to dig its heels in regarding its nickname.
Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
“No,” Allen said when asked whether the team would be willing to change its name, via The Washington Post.
Last month, the Obama administration said it would not support a new football stadium until the club alters its nickname.
Washington wants to build a new facility on the site that is currently occupied by RFK Stadium. Interior Security Sally Jewell said the National Park Service, which owns the land, would probably not approve construction of it.
Washington has a lease to play its home games at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. until 2026, but the team is looking to move closer to the D.C. Metro area. The club is also considering sites in Virginia, where it currently holds training camp, though the average camp attendance dropped by nearly 5,000 people this summer.
Governors Larry Hogan of Maryland and Terry McAuliffe of Virginia have both said Washington’s name wouldn’t be an obstacle to building a new stadium in their respective states.
Team owner Daniel Snyder continues to fervently oppose a name change, even though the United States Patent Office rejected Washington’s trademark for its franchise name because it deemed it to be “disparaging to Native Americans.” The club is currently appealing the decision, and is still allowed to use the name as the legal process plays out.
Shortly after the U.S. Patent Office announced its decision, the team launched a propaganda website to defend the controversial moniker, and even advertises a children’s book that explains how the offensive name came to be.
It doesn’t appear as if this battle is ending any time soon.
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