Up until Tuesday, the team was known as Edmonton Football Team until they had reviewed various naming options for the franchise.
Ownership removed the Eskimos nickname following a similar decision by the NFL’s Washington Redskins. Both teams got rid of the names following public pressure to get rid of their racist or stereotypical imagery.
Washington Football Team has yet to announce its new name and branding, instead opting for an unveil in 2022.
By Mitchell Blair
Edmonton’s CFL team has a new name.
The club will now be known as the Elks with the official announcement coming Tuesday morning at Commonwealth Stadium.
Edmonton’s CFL franchise dropped the name Eskimos last year. That name had been used since the team was founded in 1949. It followed a similar decision by the NFL’s Washington team as pressure mounts on teams to eliminate racist or stereotypical names.