Danny Snyder Forces The Washington Post to Rename “Redskins Insider” to “Football Insider”

http://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/d-snyderbellhop.jpg?w=206

The professional football organization in Washington continues to focus on the important things.

When they aren’t suing a tiny local paper (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/12/lawsuit-seems-like-wrong-way-to-alter-snyders-image/), the team is ordering the Washington Post to change the name of their popular football blog. Dan Steinberg of DC Sports Bog points out an article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/why-redskins-insider-lost-its-name/2011/03/15/AB755AX_blog.html#comments) in the Post on Tuesday that explains why.

“The Redskins, who have been at the forefront in creating their own multimedia operations, have been aggressive in policing the use and misuse of their ‘brand’ by others,” Paul Farhi writes.
To that end, they no longer allow local sports highlight shows on television or radio to use the team name unless its authorized. Recently, they took that one step further (http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-internet-age-sports-teams-are-increasingly-in-the-news-business/2011/02/28/ABPkAtV_story_1.html).

“The Redskins recently asked the Washington Post to rename the newspaper’s video webcast and blog about the team, which was called ‘Redskins Insider,’” Fahri notes. (The blog has since been retitled “Football Insider.”)

After consulting with our legal team, we’ve determined that we will only mention the team’s name from now on when quoting from other sources.

Otherwise, we will refer to the team as the Washington Indigenous Americans. Or perhaps the Washington Free Agent Mistakes.
Unless you guys have any better ideas.



Indigenous Americans football squad forces Washington Post to re-name blog | ProFootballTalk (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/15/indigenous-americans-football-squad-forces-washington-post-to-re-name-blog/)

I really hate this guy. Also my bad about the really long title, please feel free to edit.....

Longest thread title EVER.


I didn't even know it would allow us to type one that long!

^ i didnt think it would show after so many characters..... I was WRONG

I understand the economics of marketing a brand. But this is ridiculous. The column now known as "Football Insider" essentially provided free advertising for the team. Sometimes you have to know when to stop - and apparently Snyder's office does not know this.

Really does it matter either way?

You know usually I defend The Danny but this is freaking retarded. At least I have something to talk about on my show. damn Dan

Is the argument that the Wash Po, by virtue of using the name "redskins insider", would attract more viewers and thus more money?

So the DS doesnt want the Wash Po to use "redskins" when titling sections of their weekly blogs/videos b/c they, in some stretch of logic but understandable, would be unfairly making money off the redskin name which they dont have permission or authorization to do?

Burning bridges instead of building them. Jerry Jones at least gets the importance of treating the media with respect and catered lunch every week. Does the DS realize this just opens him up to ridicule to no end? When we suffer an embarrassing loss, im sure the wash po will get creative with names to use instead of redskins.

But im pretty sure the wash po or any person can use the name redskins in an article title and in articles, you just cant have permenant sections of your newspaper titled "redskins". but im sure the wash po will still make a funny in an article title just to poke fun at the easily irritable DS and use it as yet another example of his just not getting it.

The losing tenure piece is irrelevant to the story so I dropped that from the title

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to post this.

Here are my two cents

1. When I worked in the local media back in the day, my tv station was not allowed for a while to use Redskins in our weekly football show. (though I later found out, it was fueled by a competing station who-felt they paid a significant amount of money to be an official partner). This was before Snyder bought the team. So protecting the Redskins name has been around long before Snyder. This, incidentally, is what people who sue to change the team name are really suing about. They want to remove the football's rights to trademark and protect the name Redskins, thus diluting its value

2. Now that I work in the national media, and see many contracts-I can tell you that they are not the only team that does this. That many teams and leagues are extremely protective of their brand. All the major leagues are, perhaps no one more so than the NFL itself. The NFL is very, very, very protective and selective in regards to how often the term NFL can be used and where. So it wouldn't entirely surprise me if part of this was a mandate from above (Though I'm sure another part was to screw with the WaPo).

Does anyone know if Tony Wyllie is behind this (if not the NFL)?