Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) introduced legislation Tuesday that would revoke trademarks for the Washington NFL team for as long as the franchise keeps its controversial name.
“It is unbelievable to me that, in the 21st century, a prominent NFL franchise is calling itself by a racial slur,” Honda said in a statement. “Team names should not be offensive to anyone. Allowing trademark protection of this word is akin to the government approving its use. Removing that trademark will send a clear message that this name is not acceptable.”
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The public, however, has largely sided with Snyder, who has said he will “never” change the name. A HuffPost/YouGov poll conducted in June found that 21 percent of respondents said the team should change its name, while 62 percent said the team should not. A 2014 Sports Illustrated survey of NFL fans had similar findings.
