Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder will be meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding the name of his franchise, according to multiple reports.
Citing confirmation from team and league sources, CSN Washington reported on Monday that the meeting will take place in New York on Tuesday. Such a Snyder-Goodell meeting would come one day before NFL officials are set to meet with representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation, who have been vocal opponents of the team's name.
An unnamed person described as having knowledge of the meeting told The Washington Post that Goodell is meeting with Snyder "to get more of an understanding from the club as to how it plans to address the issue."
In a letter to season ticket holders dated Oct. 9, Snyder again defended the name of his football team, waxing nostalgic about the memory of the first game he attended. Although he did express a willingness to listen to critics in the letter, Snyder also called for his feelings on the matter to be respected.
I respect the opinions of those who disagree. I want them to know that I do hear them, and I will continue to listen and learn. But we cannot ignore our 81 year history, or the strong feelings of most of our fans as well as Native Americans throughout the country. After 81 years, the team name “Redskins” continues to hold the memories and meaning of where we came from, who we are, and who we want to be in the years to come.
With groups like the Oneida Indian Nation continually calling for change and several prominent media members publicly renouncing the term "Redskins" in recent months, Goodell discussed the controversy in September during a D.C. radio appearance and seemed to anticipate Snyder's defense.
“I know the team name is part of their history and tradition -- and that’s something that’s important to the Redskins' fans -- and I think what we have to do though is we have to listen. If one person’s offended, we have to listen," Goodell said during an interview with LaVar Arrington and Chad Dukes on 106.7 The Fan. "And, ultimately, it is Dan’s decision. But it is something that I want all of us to go out and make sure we’re listening to our fans, listening to people who have a different view, and making sure that we continue to do what’s right to make sure that team represents the strong tradition and history that it has for so many years.”
Will Goodell pressure Snyder into changing the name? Is change inevitable at this point?
UPDATE 2:23 p.m. ET: The meeting between Snyder and Goodell took place on Tuesday, reported Mark Maske and Mike Jones of The Washington Post. According to an unnamed source who spoke with the Post, Snyder maintained that he will not change the team's name.
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