Key sponsor FedEx Corp asks NFL's Washington Redskins to change their name

Record ID: 1560499

  • Title: Key sponsor FedEx Corp asks NFL's Washington Redskins to change their name
  • Date: 3rd July 2020
  • Summary: PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI (FILE - OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) WASHINGTON REDSKINS TEAM PLANE TEAM LOGO ON PLANE FORMER REDSKINS PLAYERS RICKY JEAN-FRANCOIS AND PIERRE GARCON OUTSIDE PLANE DURING TRIP TO DELIVER MEDICAL SUPPLIES AFTER HURRICANE MATTHEW HIT HAITI PLANE LEAVING NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) FEDEX TRUCKS IN GARAGE UNKNOWN LOCATION (FILE) (REUTERS) FEDEX TRUCKS ON PARKING LOT UNKNOWN LOCATION (FILE) (REUTERS) FEDEX PLANE
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2020 03:27
  • Keywords: American football Dan Snyder Fedex NFL Washington Redskins
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: American Football,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CL4C5RZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Key sponsor FedEx Corp has asked the Washington Redskins to change their name, adding to renewed calls for the NFL franchise to be rebranded.
    FedEx has the naming rights to the team's Landover, Maryland, stadium, known as FedExField, under a 27-year deal for which it paid $205 million in 1999, according to media reports at the time.
    "We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name," the company said on Thursday.
    FedEx declined to elaborate on why it made the request.
    Critics have ramped up pressure on the team to change its name, which is widely seen as a racial slur against Native Americans, after the death of George Floyd in police custody set off widespread protests for racial justice across the United States.
    The Kansas City Chiefs, which claimed the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February, faced similar criticism from Native American advocates in the run-up to their Super Bowl win.
    Redskins owner Dan Snyder has previously said that he would not change the franchise's name, the topic of fierce debate for years. The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    (Production: David Grip)
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