Republican polling and consulting firm Luntz Global has waded into the Washington Redskins name controversy and is planning a focus group this week on the NFL and the franchise.
ThinkProgress first reported that the firm of pollster Frank Luntz is circulating an email survey on NFL fan opinions that includes five questions about the Redskins, the team's ownership and its politically incorrect name.
While ire over the 'skins name has ebbed and flowed for years, the team was hit with a federal trademark lawsuit in March by a group of Native Americans who say the Redskins name violates a prohibition on "disparaging" names.
The NFL, which denied connection to the Luntz work, has defended the Redskins name in the past as a symbol of "strength, courage, pride and respect."
Luntz has worked with the NFL and NHL in the past during labor disputes.
"We will never change the name of the team," Redskins owner Dan Snyder told USA Today in May, adding, "It's that simple. NEVER – you can use caps." That followed a letter to Snyder from 10 members of Congress urging a name change.
One of the Luntz questions asks respondents to give their opinions on the Redskins name, followed by answer choices of "I find the name offensive and they should change it" or "I don't find the name offensive and they should keep it as is."
The Redskins have not commented on the poll nor confirmed they engaged Luntz.
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