Name change

I hope never. This was never an issue until the early 90's when "politically correctness" came into focus. Society has pussed out over the years and getting worse.

There are really only two scenarios where the Redskins name would change - - and both of them are based on economics.

Scenario #1: Someone - or some group - finds another angle on a lawsuit which results in the team being denied a trademark for the name or the logo or the colors or whatever. That would mean anyone and everyone could make and sell "Redskins stuff". That would eat into team profits in a huge way.

If Scenario #1 happens, the Redskins will change their name. Probability of that happening is small - - but it is not impossible.


Scenario #2: A time comes when a critical mass of people are so offended by the name that they can successfully organize a boycott of Redskins branded products. At that point, the team would want to change its name AND the NFL would urge the team to change its name quickly to avoid the possibility of similar boycotts being fomented against other teams.

If Scenario #2 happens, the Redskins will change their name. Probability of that happening is very, very small.


Absent those kinds of "environment-changing events" the Redskins' name will stay just the way it is...

Scenario #1 almost happened but the team won the appeal

Washingtonpost.com: Redskins Are Denied Trademarks (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/redskins/daily/april99/03/patents3.htm)

Appeals Court Rules Against Activists in Suit Challenging Redskins Trademark - washingtonpost.com (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/15/AR2009051501747.html)

Matty:

Exactly. With that decision on the books, it is now going to be more difficult for another lawsuit to prevail against the precedent that is set by the original case.

That is why I said the probability of Scenario #1 was small - - but not impossible.

Trademarks are just not words, they're wordmarks (text styles/logos)as well. This is how a team like the Lions, Eagles or Cowboys with more common words as team names can still trademark their name, or the WAY their name appears.

Someone could take a gray t-shirt and print "Cowboys" in cursive, not resembling the team wordmark at all and probably legally get away with selling it as long as they never call it a "Dallas Cowboys" shirt or use their logo. But, once they use http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Cowboys_wordmark.svg/200px-Cowboys_wordmark.svg.png or the team's star logo...violation.

Make sense?


This is the reason that the team's trademarks can never be taken away.

They own http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/7/168/thumbs/im5xz2q9bjbg44xep08bf5czq.gif
and http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/7/168/full/1068.gif.

The images and the specific usage of the name.

As for scenario #2...sure, we know the liberals can hire mobs to protest loudly for any chosen reason, but the fact is the FAR, FAR majority of actual Native Americans approve or aren't offended by the name, many feel honored. This will help us immensely.


It's not going to happen. Unlike the Bullets, we have a tremendous amount of tradition and longevity wrapped up in this identity. The backlash would be far greater than the petty protests of a few whiners trying to force their way on the majority.

If they changed the name what would happen to the "Hail to the Redskins" song? What about the band?

Hail to the Redskins
Hail Vic-tor-y
Braves on the Warpath
Fight for old D.C.
Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!
Beat 'em, Swamp 'em,
Touchdown! -- Let the points soar!
Fight on, fight on 'Til you have won
Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Fight!, Fight!, Fight!
Hail to the Redskins
Hail Vic-tor-y
Braves on the Warpath
Fight for old D.C.

If they changed the name what would happen to the "Hail to the Redskins" song? What about the band?

Hail to the Redskins
Hail Vic-tor-y
Braves on the Warpath
Fight for old D.C.
Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!
Beat 'em, Swamp 'em,
Touchdown! -- Let the points soar!
Fight on, fight on 'Til you have won
Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Fight!, Fight!, Fight!
Hail to the Redskins
Hail Vic-tor-y
Braves on the Warpath
Fight for old D.C.

Its just another sign of the apocolypse

name change .. haven't they been saying that since 91' ... not gonna happen .. this aint the Bullets people ... the redskins are a multi billion dollar franchise .. no way in hell Redskins changes

I don't think a name change is likely, but just to play what if, what should we adopt as our new name?

such as:
Washington Tyrannosaurs
Washington Mammoths
Washington Dragons