POLL: Over half of CFL fans disagree with Edmonton Eskimos name change

Over half of Canadian Football League fans and Alberta residents believe Edmonton made the wrong choice by changing their team name, according to a new survey.

The franchise has decided to change its name from the Edmonton Eskimos following years of debate over whether Indigenous names should be used in sports, reports CBC sports.

Throughout Canada, sports teams at all different levels have been changing their names in recent years. The Angus Reid study finds that most Canadians support the decision to drop the team’s name.

Canadians who have attended university show overwhelming support for the decision when compared to residents with high school accreditation. The two groups are evenly divided.

Of Canadian residents, 57 percent believe the franchise made the right move though 55 percent of CFL fans believe the name should have remained.

Opinions on the subject vary across demographics, with men under 35 mostly agreeing with the decision and the majority of men 55 and over disagreeing.

Albertans show the least support for the decision with 58 percent saying the franchise made the wrong call.

The online survey was conducted by the Angus Reid Institute from July 23 to 24 with a randomized sample Canadian Angus Reid Forum members. There were 1,519 people surveyed.