Apparel bearing the logo and name of the Washington Redskins NFL team disappeared from Nike’s online store Thursday, according to screenshots shared to Twitter and other social media. FedEx, which sponsors the team’s home arena in Maryland, had asked the team to consider changing its name earlier in the day. Investors at 87 firms worth hundreds of billions of dollars penned a letter to Nike, FedEx, and PepsiCo advocating for the sponsors to end their relationship with the team Wednesday. The demand comes during a nationwide reckoning over the legacy of racism, especially statues, mascots, and public buildings. The name of the Washington, D.C. team is a longstanding slur used against Native Americans. Team owner Daniel Snyder said in 2013 that the Redskins will never change their name.
