The use of Native American nicknames and symbols by US college athletics is a long-standing practice that embodies various forms of authoritarian oppression. One type of authoritarianism is that of patriarchy and it has been present in the struggle over the nickname at the University of North Dakota, the ‘Fighting Sioux’. This article explores philosophical connections of the dynamics of patriarchy to the resistance that this movement has faced at the University of North Dakota. A short history is provided, and these connections are illustrated in terms of sports and violence, the ‘old boys’ club’, the ‘father knows best’ syndrome, objectification and the disparagement of ‘liberal women’. Suggestions are offered for countering the engrained dynamics of patriarchy in regards to this issue, and thus working towards a more respectful and anti-racist future at American universities.