Sean McManus: CBS Does Not Tell Our Announcers What To Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The controversy surrounding the Washington Redskins nickname is not going away.
Is it offensive? Is it not? Should the team change its name? Should it stick with it?
Everyone seems to have an opinion, but the situation is still ongoing.
How will announcers handle any potential discomfort when calling Redskins games? CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus was recently questioned about the issue and offered an interesting take.
It's not exactly a cut-and-dry situation.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, McManus said, "We haven't talked to (our analysts) yet. Generally speaking, we do not tell our announcers what to say or not say. Up to this point, it has not been a big issue for us. Last year, it was simmering; now it's reaching a hotter level. But we probably will not end up dictating to our announcers whether they say Redskins or don't say Redskins.
"We leave that up to them and our production team. There are times when something becomes important enough that we talk to them, and between now and the start of football season we'll decide what is the right thing to do," McManus added.
A federal trademark board ruled last month that the nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's trademark protections should be canceled, a decision that applies new financial and political pressure on the team to change its name.
The 2-1 ruling from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board came in a case that has been working its way through legal channels for more than two decades. It doesn't force the team to abandon the name, but it comes at a time of increasing criticism of team owner Dan Snyder.
The Redskins quickly announced that they will appeal, and the cancellation for trademark protections will be on hold while the matter makes its way through the courts. That process could take years.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have repeatedly put pressure on both the NFL and Snyder to change the team's name.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
