Washington Redskins: Innocent team name or racial slur?

The NFL's Washington Redskins are amongst the most popular--and richest--sports franchises in America. Established in 1932, the team's name has spent the last few decades under scrutiny as people have grown more attuned to racially charged word choices that, heretofore, were generally accepted.

In recent months the debate has grown exponentially. National sportswriters have refused to use the word in their columns, organizations and schools have advocated for a change, magazines and newspapers believe it's a matter of when, not if, a different team moniker is chosen, and even President Obama has suggested a new name is in order.

The nationally televised Sunday Night Football game had the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys matched up. At halftime, respected sportscaster Bob Costas offered his opinion on the word:

By the way, the Washington Redskins franchise is worth an estimated $1.6 billion, of which, according to Forbes, $131 million of that value comes solely from the brand--specifically, the word in question.

Money wins in America. That's why, right or wrong, the name will unlikely change any time soon.