New York's Oneida Indian Nation, flush with cash from its casino and gas station operations, has launched an ad and PR blitz against the NFL's Washington Redskins, pressuring the franchise to change its name.

redskinsThe Oneidas, who work Albany-based PR and lobbying firm The Roffee Group, are unleashing the "Change the Mascot" campaign to include a radio advertising campaign on sports radio that will follow the Redskins' around the country during the season, starting with the team's opening game Sept. 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles in its Landover, Md., home.

The push is the latest in a growing chorus of criticism of the Redskins moniker that has included at least 10 members of Congress.

The radio spot points to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's recent criticism of an Eagles player, Riley Cooper, who spouted a racial epithet that was caught on video, asking if Goodell is "do the right thing and join the campaign to stop the Washington team from continuing to use a racial slur as its mascot and team name."

While the Redskins have rebuffed calls to change its name, the firm of GOP pollster Frank Luntz was found to be circulating a questionnaire gauging fan attitudes toward the name and whether it should be change.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder told USA Today in May that he will "never" change the team's name. The NFL says the name "has always intended to be positive and has always been used by the team in a highly respective manner."

The Oneida tribe, which owns the Verona, N.Y.-based Turning Stone Casino & Resort and a chain of gas stations and convenience stores, among other business interests, said it hopes the ads will cause more fans to speak out and urge the NFL to force a name change on the franchise.

A website, changethemascot.org, asks fans to contact the NFL.

"We believe that with the help of our fellow professional football fans, we can get the NFL to realize the error of its ways and make a very simple change," said tribal rep Ray Halbritter.

Joel Barkin, communications director at The Roffee Group, serves as the tribe's VP of communications. His firm along with Four Directions Production (Vernon, N.Y.) are handling the campaign.

The anti-Redskins name movement got a boost last month when Sports Illustrated football czar Peter King said SI's new football microsite TheMMQB.com would not use the name "Redskins" in stories about the team. King and the site's writers are using "Washington football team" or just "Washington," although the stories are tagged "Washington Redskins."