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State House Bill Would Prevent Display of Team Names Disparaging Native Americans

Arizona House Democrats

A state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prevent publicly funded stadiums from displaying team names offensive to many Native Americans. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports.

The legislationwould allow any federally recognized tribe to bar facilities in Arizona from displaying terms, team names and logos they find disparaging. It’s primarily aimed at stopping the Washington Redskins’ logo and name from appearing at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

The bill’s sponsor, Chinle Democrat Eric Descheenie, spoke Wednesday at a press conference.

"We still have this racial slur as a mascot. Why is the Arizona state government implicitly or explicitly condoning that?" he asked.

Descheenie acknowledged he doesn’t expect fellow lawmakers to pass the bill, but he still plans to press Republican Speaker JD Mesnard for its consideration.

The National Congress of American Indians calls team names like the Redskins racist and derogatory, and studies have shown they can have detrimental psychological effects on Native youth.

Neither the team nor the NFL have commented on the proposed bill.  

Ryan Heinsius joined KNAU's newsroom as an executive producer in 2013 and became news director and managing editor in 2024. As a reporter, he has covered a broad range of stories from local, state and tribal politics to education, economy, energy and public lands issues, and frequently interviews internationally known and regional musicians. Ryan is an Edward R. Murrow Award winner and a Public Media Journalists Association Award winner, and a frequent contributor to NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and national newscast.
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