By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
US Patent Office finds Redskins' name offensive
Redskins Name Footbal Heal WEB
The Washington Redskins name is displayed on a building at their training facility at Redskins Park during NFL football minicamp on Wednesday in Ashburn, Va. - photo by Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled Wednesday that the Washington Redskins' name is "disparaging of Native Americans" and should be stripped of trademark protection — a decision that puts powerful new financial and political pressure on the NFL team to rename itself. By a vote of 2-1, the agency's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board sided with five Native Americans in a dispute that has been working its way through legal channels for more than two decades. The ruling doesn't directly force the team to abandon the name, but it adds momentum to the campaign at a time of increasing criticism of Redskins owner Dan Snyder from political, religious and sports figures who say it's time for a change.