- Nike has increased pressure on the Washington Redskins to change its name by removing the team’s products from its website.
- Nike was one of three companies, alongside FedEx and Pepsi, recently sent letters by investors asking them to sever ties with the team until it changed its name, which is classified as a racial slur.
- FedEx, which owns the naming rights to the Redskin’s stadium, released a statement urging the team to re-brand.
- “We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name,” it said in a statement, according to the BBC.
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Nike has increased pressure on the Washington Redskins to change its name by removing the team’s products from its website, as the NFL side faces mounting demands to change its name.
Nike was one of three companies recently sent letters by investors asking them to sever ties with the team until it changed its name, which is classified as a racial slur against Native Americans.
In response, the sportswear giant has removed all Redskins products from its online store, while the team’s name has also been removed from the left sidebar which allows buyers to select which NFL team’s products it wishes to see.
Nike is yet to comment on the letter from the Redskins' investors, or on the removal of its products.
According to Mary Emily O'Hara of Adweek, FedEx and Pepsi are the other two companies which were sent the letters asking them to cut ties with Daniel Snyder's team.
Pepsi is yet to comment, however FedEx released a statement on Thursday calling for the Redskins to re-brand.
"We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name," it said in a statement, according to the BBC.
In 1999 FedEx paid $205 million for the naming rights to the Redskins' 82,000-seat stadium, which has since been known as the FedExField. The deal expires in 2025.
FedEx's boss and founder, Frederick Smith, also owns a minority stake in the team.
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The Washington Redskins are under more pressure than ever to change their name