New ad calls for Washington Redskins name change
A new ad calls for the Redskins to change their nickname, arguing that the team will still be Washington football without its current moniker.
The commercial, commissioned by the Oneida Indian Nation and National Congress of American Indians, removes all Redskins branding from Robert Griffin III's 76-yard touchdown run against the Vikings in 2012.
Spokesman Joel Barkin told the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg the point of the ad is that changing the team's nickname would not lessen the connection fans have with the team.
“We looked for a play where people showed the most emotion, a play that really highlighted the best aspects of Washington football,” Barkin said. “The first time you watch it you might not even notice [the missing logo]. That’s sort of the point.”
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Last week, the two groups also launched a telephone campaign asking NFL fans to petition league leaders to change the team's nickname.
Redskins owner Dan Snyder has repeatedly said he will never change the team's nickname.
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- Paul Palladino
