Washington Redskins’ Trademark Registration Canceled
The trademark registration was discontinued for use in association with an NFL team on the basis that “a substantial composite of Native Americans found the term Redskins to be disparaging.”
Despite years of mounting pressure from vocal portions of the public, and many lawmakers, Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, has turned a deaf ear to all pleas to change the name, defending it without apology. NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell (PeekYou profile here), who grew up as a Redskins fan, has supported him in his intractable position.
Snyder is of course appealing this decision.
The trademark board does not have the authority to outright ban the use of the term, as no board has that authority in America, and the trademark is likely to hold during the appeal process; having little impact on team merchandise for the time being.
Bob Raskopf, one of the team’s trademark attorneys said: “We’ve seen this story before. And just like last time, today’s ruling will have no effect at all on the team’s ownership of and right to use the Redskins name and logo. We are confident we will prevail once again, and that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s divided ruling will be overturned on appeal.”
Debate over the appropriateness of the franchise’s name has gone on with some fair amount of acrimony for many years now. Snyder has contended the term “redskins” is meant with respect to Native Americans, and has referenced numerous surveys that show a majority of Native Americans support the name.
The board has said of their decision; “the recognition that this racial designation based on skin color is disparaging to Native Americans” is evident “by the near complete drop-off in usage of “redskins” as a reference to Native Americans beginning in the 1960s.”
The New York Times goes in to the story in depth here.
Below, Democratic Senator Harry Reid takes to the floor to express his support for the decision: