What's in a Name: The Controversy Surrounding the NCAA's Ban on College Nicknames and Mascots

Abstract

(5 Willamette Sports L.J. 17 (2008)). The article analyzes the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA’s) ban on American Indian nicknames and mascots. The article focuses on the history of the ban and how schools have reacted to it. The article argues that the NCAA created a double standard that is hard to interpret. The article discusses why some schools changed their nicknames and stopped using offending mascots before the ban. It then explores how other schools reacted to the ban, and how the ban has had an economic impact on some schools. The article concludes by discussing the pros and cons of the ban and recommends more steps for the NCAA to take.