Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III
A majority of D.C. residents say a change in the Washington Redskins’ name wouldn’t impact their loyalty to the team, according to a new poll.
The survey commissioned by the Oneida Indian Nation, which has been pushing owner Dan Snyder to change a team name it considers offensive, found that 25 percent of Washington residents would be less of a fan if the name changed, while 18 percent would be more of a fan. But 55 percent said it would make no difference.
The poll is set for release Wednesday morning, but was reviewed by TIME ahead of its release. The automated phone survey of 500 Washington adults, by the firm SurveyUSA, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
“You cannot poll morality, and our hope is that Mr. Snyder will demonstrate true leadership and change the offensive name, not because of what any public opinion studies show, but because it’s the right thing to do,” Ray Halbritter, an Oneida Indian Nation spokesman, said in a statement.
Snyder has adamantly defended the team name and vowed not to change it.
Fifty-nine percent of Washingtonians said American-Indians have a right to be offended when referred to as “Redskins,” according to the poll.
Oneida Indian Nation are scheduled to meet with National Football League officials on Nov. 22.