It's a revolution. The franchise of Washington playing in the professional league of American football (NFL) becomes the "Washington Football Team" for the season 2020, she announced Thursday, ten days after giving up her name of Redskins criticized for its racist connotation towards the Native Americans.
"The decision to use Washington Football Team for this season allows the franchise to pursue a thorough branding policy that will take into account the views of current and former players, fans, the community and sponsors," said the team which will also remove its logo, a Native American in profile flanked by two feathers.
It begins here ... pic.twitter.com/CHCCZ64W81
- Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) July 23, 2020A provisional name
This new name is provisional, the franchise having wanted to give itself more time to find a new one and thus definitively end a story that began in 1933: it was then called Redskins and was based in Boston before moving to Washington in 1937. .
The United States, 87 years later, is doing a deep examination of its conscience on its relationship to its racist past, in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the end of May. Since then, a large movement of anger has led part of society to reconsider certain symbols such as the statues of Confederate generals, partisans of slavery, or of Christopher Columbus.
The owner of the team, Dan Snyder, long opposed to any change of a name which, according to him, paid homage to the Indians of America, thus ended up giving in ten days ago, pressed by his sponsors and a party of opinion.
On its website, the Washington club, winner of three Super Bowls (1982, 1987 and 1991), now displays a new banner which should be the same in the end zones of its stadium: "Washington Football Team, Is. 1932 ”(Washington football team, established 1932).
Burgundy and yellow remain the team's colors
The colors remain the same, burgundy and yellow. The logo has been shrunk, the first step before total removal. “The Redskins name and logo will be officially retired by the start of the 2020 season,” the team promised. The first game is scheduled for September 13 against Philadelphia.
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The franchise therefore has 50 days to remove the Redskins visual code from all of its facilities. In matches, the logo on players' helmets will be replaced with individual numbers, while “Washington” will replace “Redskins” on jerseys. And it is still the great suspense on the future name. A long wait for the fans.