The Edmonton Canadian Football League franchise has made an internal decision to change its 'Eskimos' nickname, sources tell TSN.
An announcement could come as soon as next week.
Edmonton's decision follows a team announcement that a review of the nickname was ongoing and comes on the heels of the Washington National Football League franchise ceasing the use of its nickname, one derogatory towards Indigenous people.
"We acknowledge and appreciate the feedback and input regarding our name," the team said in a July 8th statement. "We take this issue seriously as has been demonstrated by the three years weve spent engaging in Canada's north and conducting research related to our name. We recognize that a lot has occurred since this information was gathered, and as a result, we are accelerating our ongoing process of review. We will be seeking further input from the Inuit, our partners and other stakeholders to inform our decisions moving forward. We'll continue to listen carefully and with an open mind. We intend to complete our review as quickly as possible and will provide an update on these discussions by the end of this month."
In recent days, league sponsors have expressed a desire to see a name change.
On July 7, insurance company Belairdirect, which also sponsors Commonwealth Stadiums 50/50 draw, said it would drop its sponsorship should a name change not occur.
"At Belairdirect one of our core values is respect, which is founded on seeing diversity as a strength, being inclusive and collaborative," the company said in a statement. "In order for us to move forward and continue on with our partnership with the Edmonton Eskimos, we will need to see concrete action in the near future including a name change. We have shared our position with the team."
Earlier on Wednesday, Sports Book Interaction, the teams official and exclusive online casino and sporting gaming partner officially asked the team to change its name.
"Sports Interaction will be asking the Edmonton Eskimos to change its name so that we can continue supporting the club and its fans,spokesmanRyan Stetson wrote in an email to CTV News.
The current incarnation of the franchise has held the nickname since its inception in 1949.
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