Sep 15, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Washington Redskins fans during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been reported that the Washington Redskins merchandise sales have dropped 43.8% from this time last year. And some have attributed this drop in merchandise sales to the Redskins name issue, inferring that fans have stopped buying Redskins merchandise over opposition of the Redskins name.

But once again how soon they forget. Because two years ago this time Redskins merchandise sales were through the roof and the team name had nothing to do with stopping it. Redskins merchandise was selling well then for two major reasons:

Robert Griffin III was taking the NFL by storm and his popularity was soaring. The Redskins were winning and going to the playoffs.

However, after a 3-13 season and RGIII’s popularity leveling out the merchandise sales have decreased. Maybe that doesn’t mean anything to those that oppose the name who only want to cherry pick statistics to support their argument. But recent history contradicts that faulty logic.

Because once the Redskins start winning again guess what’s going to happen? The merchandise sales will increase. And when it does what will those who oppose the name say then? Maybe something like “it didn’t increase enough.”, or “it would have increased more if it weren’t for the Redskins name”.

Just stop it why don’t you? There’s an ebb and flow to everything. Stocks rise and fall just like the economy does. Other teams like the Ravens, Texans, Giants , and Falcons merchandise sales dropped too. And guess what they had in common with the Redskins?

They had all went from being a winning team to losing. So Redskins name changers should just admit it to yourselves. No matter how much you want to attribute this drop in sales to be about the Redskins name, the fact is it had nothing to do with it.