Following Washington’s Lead, Edmonton CFL Team Cuts Eskimos Name
Following Washington’s Lead, Edmonton CFL Team Cuts Eskimos Name
(Bloomberg) -- The Canadian Football League team in Edmonton, Alberta, is dropping the word “Eskimos” from its name, one week after Washington’s pro football franchise made a similar change.
The team is undertaking a search for a new name and will go by EE Football Team and Edmonton Football Team until it settles on a new moniker, the club said Tuesday. The term used in the previous name is considered offensive to certain indigenous groups.
The team began research and discussions about the name three years ago, with a focus on listening to Inuit communities. While some fans wanted to keep the name, others were “increasingly uncomfortable” with it, the team said.
“We feel it is important to make this change in response to the findings of our recent engagement and research,” said Janice Agrios, chair of the team’s board. “Going forward, we want the focus to be on the work we do in the community and our team’s excellence on the field.”
Last week, Washington’s National Football League team dropped the offensive term “Redskins” from its name after pressure from sponsors and other financial partners.
Edmonton is the CFL’s most successful franchise in recent decades, winning the league championship, known as the Grey Cup, 11 times since 1975.
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