Will a Commercial Affect Change in Sport Names?
Not only was the Super Bowl a time for friendly competition and celebration, it also marked an opportunity for social awareness.
The National Congress of American Indians released a two-minute video during the Super Bowl on its YouTube channel that was described as “the #BigGame commercial the NFL would never air.”
The video is a poetic call to arms, showcasing many Native Americans with a voiceover that catalogues their various names, from Mohawk and Soldier to Mother and Creek. The aim of the video is to bring special awareness to the innumerable ways in which Native American identity has been mistreated, especially in sport culture.
The NCAI has released the video as part of its “Change the Mascot” campaign, which targets such sports teams as the Kansas City Blackhawks, Cleveland Indians and Chicago Blackhawks. The NCAI believes that such naming “continue[s] to profit from harmful stereotypes,” and that “Indian” sports brands used by professional teams were born in an era when racism and bigotry were accepted by the dominant culture.”
During the Super Bowl weekend league commissioner Roger Goodell, when asked whether he’d call a Native American “Redskin” to his face, stated, “Let’s not forget this is the name of a football team.”
Since its release the video has received 1,385,295 views as of Tuesday night.
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/02/04/will-this-commercial-make-the-washington-redskins-change-their-name/
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