FedEx Requests Redskins to Change Name

In a somewhat stunning move, FedEx has issued a statement requesting that the Washington Redskins change their name.

FedEx announced on Wednesday that it had asked the NFL's Washington franchise to change its "Redskins" moniker. FedEx is one of the three massive sponsors and partners of the team that was challenged by investors and stockholders to pressure the team into changing its name. 

“We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name," FedEx said in a statement.

Hot Read: Politicians say no to 'Redskins' in D.C. and RFK. 

It's an especially significant development because Fred Smith, the chairman and CEO of FedEx, is a part of Dan Snyder's ownership group. The company also owns naming rights to the team stadium, FedExField. 

The terms of FedEx's contract with the team and Smith's exact stake in the group is unknown, but unless Washington was planning on ending the relationship with FedEx and/or Smith, it could be a major turning point in the longstanding battle over the team's name.

In 1999, FedEx gave the Washington football team $205 million to name the stadium FedEx Field. In 2020, FedEx referred to the franchise as "the team in Washington" to change its name.

Feels like a tipping point.

— Barry Svrluga (@barrysvrluga) July 2, 2020

Later on Wednesday, Nike appeared to remove all Washington team gear from its site.

It appears that Nike has removed all Redskins clothing from their website. If you go to Nike’s website, they have apparel for all the NFL teams currently ; except for Washington.

— Jordan (@wshingtontoday) July 3, 2020

By no means is Dan Snyder obligated to make a change. He may choose to draw a hard line distancing himself from FedEx as a stadium name sponsor and possibly even from Fred Smith's ownership stake. But this is nonetheless a noteworthy development and a sign of how attitudes have changed since the killing of George Floyd by police in May.

The team has not made a statement as of 9:00 pm ET. 

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Chris Russell is the Publisher of RedskinsReport.com & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.