There are a handful of sports team names that have been deemed problematic over the years.
Teams like the Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves and plenty others receive criticism for deriving their nicknames from indigenous peoples.
Another example, but a team that often flies under the radar, is the Edmonton Eskimos.
Over the last year, the CFL club engaged in consultations and meetings to determine if it was necessary to change their nickname.
We have made an announcement today regarding our Northern Engagement Program and team name. For more information go here: https://t.co/vFG5uazlaK pic.twitter.com/LYxjJ5bRpZ
— Edmonton Eskimos (@EdmontonEsks) February 14, 2020
The results of the consultations are in and the Edmonton Eskimos are going to keep their name the way it is, but strive to do a few things differently.
“A key learning for us was the desire of northern communities to increase the Club’s engagement with them,” said Janice Agrious, chair of the board of directors.
“As a result, we have invested the time and resources to create a Northern Community Engagement Program and will continue to engage with Inuit leaders and community members to strengthen the ties between the Club and the Inuit community.”
On Twitter, the club said that the research and engagement components were conducted with a third party who’s a respected world leader in issues management.
