The Cleveland Indians confirmed Monday they will move on from the team name they’ve used since 1915.
The team didn’t say when the new name will take effect, other than it won’t be in place for the 2021 season. And unlike the Washington Football Team, which this summer abandoned “Redskins” without a permanent name in place, the baseball team will continue to use the Indians name until a new one is chosen.
“Since July, we have conducted an extensive process to learn how our team name affected different constituencies and whether it aligned with our organizational values,” the Indians said in a statement. “As a result of that process, we have decided to move forward with changing the current team name and determining a new, non-Native American based name for the franchise.”
The team said it took input from the Native American communities, as well as fans, civic leaders, corporate partners, players and others in reaching the decision.
“After reflecting upon those discussions, we believe our organization is at its best when we can unify our community and bring people together — and we believe a new name will allow us to do this more fully,” the team statement said.
The Cleveland Indigenous Coalition applauded the decision.
“For six decades our community has fought tirelessly to be recognized as diverse and vibrant, instead of portrayed in inaccurate and harmful ways. By agreeing to change the team name away from Indigenous themes, the Cleveland baseball team is helping to create a place where Native American children and their families feel valued and fully seen,” the group said. “During this period of transition, we look forward to continued collaborative efforts with the team to move in a direction of healing, and to create a better future for all generations to come.”
Before the 2019 season, the Cleveland franchise began to curtail its use of images of its mascot, Chief Wahoo.
“As a fifth-generation Clevelander, I understand the historic impact and importance of this decision. Like many of you, I grew up with this name and have many great memories of past Indians teams,” owner Paul Dolan wrote in a letter to fans.
“These memories will forever stay in our hearts, minds, and record books, and we will continue to recognize our ball club’s remarkable legacy. While I have often associated these unforgettable memories with the name Indians, I sincerely believe Cleveland is the most important part of our team name.”
