ESPN Redskin Name Article

[tshile]

Well, the NFL and government could force a name change.

I don't think that'll happen. I think we're much more likely to just see the trademark be invalidated. Then it's up to danny whether or not the name changes. Being the greedy chicken **** he is my money is on the name changing.

We'll see which lawyers win out, that's the first issue.

 

[McD5]

Not a chance in hell. It will never change unless a sympathizer buys the team, and that will likely never happen. Nobody can force a name change, no matter how much they bitch and call it offensive.

Ex, please don't take this the wrong way.

But that's the same bs that people have spouted for decades about different things.....and in time, they always change. The examples I list below aren't all intented to be analogies, but you will get the point:

There will never be an african american President.

They will never remove the confederate flag.

No way will they ever allow gay marriage.

Women on the front lines? No chance.

You get the idea......it's changing. There's no question about it.

 

[McD5]

I don't see the government having to dictate it.

Guys like Letterman and Conan will dictate it. They'll start with jokes, it will become entrenched into people's heads, and it's over. Dan will change it.

 

[McD5]

Because the jokes about the war and economy changed things?

I guess I'm just confused with how jokes and comedians change things on stage.
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They have the ability to shape the national tone on subjects. Here's all it will take....Conan's opening monolgue:

"So Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins, has been taking a lot of heat over the team's name. Many now believe it's racist. When asked for his view, Redskins linebacker London Fletcher said it's better than being called the Washington ******s."

That's it. That's all it takes to bring the issue to the forefront, and to apply the heat.

 

[tshile]

In regards to the redskins being forced - the NFL (and the teams in the NFL) enjoy anti trust exemptions from the government. The NFL is a monopoly that has special privileges to operate the way it does.

The government can indeed force changes if they feel so inclined, they certainly have the power, they just need the changes well justified (think: safety with the concussions issue, or racism with the name issue.)

Whether or not they push hard enough depends on the people in government, but I think it's naïve to think they have no power over it.

I'm not sure what the NFL could do, but I would imagine 30 owners might be able to do something. See the way the NFL handled the patriots cheating scandal, the saints bounty gate, and redskins/cowboys capgate. The NFL has shown it has no issues with making **** up as they go along and doling out whatever penalties they feel fit, with whatever evidence they feel justifies it.

 

[Nobody]

If any of you seriously thinks for a second that the NFL would ever attempt to force one of the wealthiest and biggest money making sports franchises on the planet to change their name, you're seriously mistaken. If it came to that, do you not think Danny and quite a few other of the richest owners wouldn't just leave and form their own league? Not hard to do if you're one of the teams with all the money.

Along with the ire bigger owners have against revenue sharing, the NFL sticking their nose where it doesn't belong in a matter like this would essentially dismantle the NFL. No way they ever get involved, and no way they ever let the government get involved. The name isn't changing, period. The league would be gone before it was ever even a consideration, and at that point it wouldn't matter much.

And McD, those analogies are terrible. But at least you already know that. Apples and oranges. A better analogy would be how offended everyone was when guys like Lenny Bruce, Redd Foxx, etc. came around. But they didn't change. They kept doing it, and eventually society adapted to it. The same way it will with the Redskins.

 

[tshile]

Ex, non-founding owners don't actually own their team, the nfl does; at least in all the ways that really matter. Think CEO of a company vs shareholders. Teams can be taken away from non-founding members.

Could Synder give up the redskins and start his own team? Sure. Good luck, I personally would be happy to see him go. But no, Snyder can't take the redskins and leave the NFL; at least not without the NFL's permission. That's even ignoring the whole issue that Snyder didn't purchase the redskins with his own money, a good portion of it was investors money.

So yes, the nfl can force the issue if they want. Whether they want to or not is a whole different issue. I doubt they would.

 

[CounterTrey]

Nope no way. The NFL has gotten away with the collusion case because it's not in Snyder's own self interest to sue at this time but if this name thing were pushed hard enough things would go to court and you're dreaming if you think the NFL would be shielded from that this time around. The gloves would forcibly be off and all the dirty laundry would air.

And McD...really? Late night talk show hosts are going to set the tone? Who even watches them anymore? Conan? The dude is on TBS, who then...Kimmel, Knapp, Fallon? Oh wait...Letterman? Come on man that's just silly, I couldn't tell you a single person that watches one of those shows.

 

[tshile]

What gives you the idea that Snyder would do that, much less be successful? Their "we're really angry and don't understand what we did wrong" press conference?

Sorry... More tongue and cheek than anything, and wanted to slip in one more shot at that press conference.

 

[Nobody]

Ex, non-founding owners don't actually own their team, the nfl does; at least in all the ways that really matter. Think CEO of a company vs shareholders. Teams can be taken away from non-founding members.

Could Synder give up the redskins and start his own team? Sure. Good luck, I personally would be happy to see him go. But no, Snyder can't take the redskins and leave the NFL; at least not without the NFL's permission. That's even ignoring the whole issue that Snyder didn't purchase the redskins with his own money, a good portion of it was investors money.

So yes, the NFL can force the issue if they want. Whether they want to or not is a whole different issue. I doubt they would.

Incorrect. The NFL does not own anything about any of the teams, other than their use of their NFL affiliation. Any team at any time could leave and take their name with them, they would just have to rebrand everything to not include NFL references.

If the NFL owned the teams, the Redskins name change would be a thing of the past The NFL awards a franchise, but only to the extent that it is offering someone the right to own a team within the league. It does not award a name or a team, the owner has to put that together, and it does not own any part of the team. The only authority the NFL has over a team in the league, is that it can govern that team while it's a member of its league.

Leaving the league would require nothing more than money, which plenty of teams have.