fbpx
 
football helmet

EDMONTON, Alberta — One of the winningest teams in Canadian Football League history plans to change its name, which many Inuit people consider offensive, according to media reports.   

The CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos plan to change the name they’ve used since 1949, and an announcement could come next week, according to a report by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. The move comes amid pressure from team sponsors and public outcry by Inuit people, who have long called the team’s name racist. 

In recent weeks, major sponsors including insurer Belairdirect and Sports Interaction, an online sportsbook owned by Quebec’s Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, have pressured the Edmonton franchise to change its name.   

Winners of 14 Grey Cup titles since 1954, the Edmonton franchise has made the argument that most Inuit people did not find the name offensive. Earlier this week, the team released a statement that said the team’s name is a tribute to Inuit people because it implies “toughness, hardiness and the ability to perform in cold weather."

The potential name change and related rebranding costs come amid a difficult financial period for the Edmonton team. In an interview with the Edmonton Sun, team chairman Janice Agrios, said the team is facing a loss of $10 million or more as a result of the season’s cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Edmonton’s apparent decision to change its name mirrors the situation in Washington D.C., where the National Football League club bowed to pressure from sponsors and Native Americans calling for the team to change its offensive team name.  The Washington NFL franchise announced in a three-paragraph statement Monday the retirement of its racist name and logo, a move that follows decades of criticism from Native American activists and came 10 days after the team announced it would reconsider the name. 

More Stories Like This

Assemblyman Ramos Honored with Award for Long Service to California Native American Commission
Navajo Nation Council Members Meet with US Treasurer Malerba
Tunica-Biloxi Tribe Chairman Marshall Pierite Launches Bid to Become NCAI President
"The Road to Healing" Albuquerque Stop Postponed Due to Threat of Federal Government Shutdown
Events Commemorating Orange Shirt Day 2023

Native News is free to read.

We hope you enjoyed the story you've just read. For the past dozen years, we’ve covered the most important news stories that are usually overlooked by other media. From the protests at Standing Rock and the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), to the ongoing epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) and the past-due reckoning related to assimilation, cultural genocide and Indian Boarding Schools.

Our news is free for everyone to read, but it is not free to produce. That’s why we’re asking you to make a donation to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps.  Most readers donate between $10 and $25 to help us cover the costs of salaries, travel and maintaining our digital platforms. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to join the Founder's Circle. All donations help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.

Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you. 

About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].