Redskins Loved by Most
A half century ago civil rights groups were on hand to protest the opening of D.C. stadium since the Washington Redskins were the last remaining football team to remain segregated. It would seem that fifty years after that significant event the team has grown to have a significant black fan base. The love for the football team is so strong in the community that a reverend at a local Baptist church actually has his parishioners go home early on Sundays in the fall so that he can get back home quick enough to get in front of the television for the game.
A recent poll that was posted on a sports website suggests that a full two thirds of African Americans in the area had a good opinion of the team and that around four in ten fans had a very strong favorable opinion. The racial divide that once caused so many arguments and protests decades ago has all but evaporated in the stands where there are always many cheering African Americans from the stands and tuning in each week on local televisions. Interestingly, there is a less favorable view of the team from local Caucasians in the area with less than half of white people giving the team a positive rating.
It would seem that over half of blacks polled about what sports they enjoy rate football as their number one sport whereas just under 40% of white fans rate football as their favorite. The one thing about the polls that stands out is that the racial divide seems to evaporate somewhat when people who have lived in the area less than ten years were polled.
