Cleveland Indians changing name

[Vgmastr]

NY Times reporting that Cleveland will be dropping the Indians name: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/13/sports/baseball/cleveland-indians-baseball-name-change.html

 

I really hope they go with Spiders, it would be a cool mascot and great nod to Cleveland baseball history.

[Eye Black]

I really hope they go with Spiders, it would be a cool mascot and great nod to Cleveland baseball history.

Mark me down for Spiders as well.

[patrickgpe]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/cleveland-to-change-team-name.html

 

all I will say is that I hope they use the spiders. Has a history and it’s original to professional sports. They are my favorite al team, so sad to see the name go away.

[sveumrules]

Cleveland Baseball Team.

[burnzy24]

Atlanta can't be far behind. The spiders would be a great choice for a name.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

Haven’t followed the Washington Football Team at all. But I can imagine this is a huge undertaking to rebrand everything about the organization. I wonder what the dollar amount would end up being or just time spent on it.

[trwi7]

Cleveland Baseball Team.

 

Change baseball to football.

[sveumrules]

Cleveland Baseball Team.

 

Change baseball to football.

 

Just go full on confusion...Shaker Heights Lawn Bowling Club.

[trwi7]

Cuyahoga River Fire

[SomewhereInTime]

LOL

[JimH5]

It's been a long time coming, but it's still a noteworthy and courageous thing for ownership to do. They're setting aside more than 100 years of history and fan connection. If the Brewers suddenly became the Milwaukee Robins, it wouldn't feel right.

 

So congrats to the franchise for moving in the right direction.

[MadThinker88]

As a person born/ raised/ & back living in the CLE area I can tell you many people are not happy with the idea of changing the Indians team name. People complained about the cartoon Chief Wahoo mascot & I can get that. But the team name needing to change is PC bs imho. I've rooted for the team for over 45 years (being on the planet for over 50 years) & I will continue to think of the team as the Tribe.

 

As for the many suggested new names, Spiders is a no go/ hard pass for me. That was a NL club (different franchise) before the AL Indians were founded under a different name over 100 yrs ago. Why would I want to root/ bring back a name that had the historically worst team in the history of all baseball (1899 season, 20w & 134L in a single season) https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLV/

 

If a change is made, go with something without any ties or baggage..

[dlk9s]

But the team name needing to change is PC bs imho.

 

So...Cleveland Redskins, then?

[brewcrewdue80]

I wonder how Native Americans feel about this. I say this with perspective that my daughter chose Denver Broncos as her favorite NFL team simply because horses. I realized her uncle on mother's side did that as well seeing he had no other ties to Colorado or Denver. (Originally from New Mexico)

I would think numerous Native Americans then chose their favorite team because the name Indians or Chiefs. We take their land and now we're taking their sports team to root for. Because pc groups are offended by the belief that should be offensive to that culture.

[miggs721]

Gotta be Cleveland Steamers, to pay homage to the cities rich shipping industry on Lake Erie

[PeaveyFury]

We take their land and now we're taking their sports team to root for. Because pc groups are offended by the belief that should be offensive to that culture.

 

Or maybe they actually DO find it offensive and want it to change.

[Lathund]

Good decision, but surprised they actually did it. I thought they would've stopped at getting rid of Chief Wahoo.

 

wonder how Native Americans feel about this. I say this with perspective that my daughter chose Denver Broncos as her favorite NFL team simply because horses. I realized her uncle on mother's side did that as well seeing he had no other ties to Colorado or Denver. (Originally from New Mexico)

I would think numerous Native Americans then chose their favorite team because the name Indians or Chiefs. We take their land and now we're taking their sports team to root for. Because pc groups are offended by the belief that should be offensive to that culture.

 

What makes you think that Native Americans pick teams based on mascots, and not in the same way that white, black, latino or asian people do? As in for a variety of reasons (Which can include the mascot), but usually due to things like proximity and family ties? It's no more "their sports team" than the Brewers being the team for all brewers or the Giants for unusually tall people.

 

As a person born/ raised/ & back living in the CLE area I can tell you many people are not happy with the idea of changing the Indians team name. People complained about the cartoon Chief Wahoo mascot & I can get that. But the team name needing to change is PC bs imho.

 

Cleveland Jews, Cleveland Pygmies, Cleveland Polynesians, Cleveland Caucasians, Cleveland Moors, Cleveland Zulus, Clevland Arabs. How do these names sound to you? Indians as a team name only really registers as different to us because it has existed for all ours lives, we've kept hearing it. But it's really not any different. It's taking a whole group/race of people to be used as mascots (alongside fish, birds and socks), for a long time even represented by a caricature of them.

[djoctagone]

Gotta be Cleveland Steamers, to pay homage to the cities rich shipping industry on Lake Erie

also a subtle nod to those upset by this socially correct renaming.

[Roderick]

We take their land and now we're taking their sports team to root for. Because pc groups are offended by the belief that should be offensive to that culture.

 

Or maybe they actually DO find it offensive and want it to change.

 

I have no idea. But I know personally, I would think it cool if I was from a tribe that a team named themselves after. Like the Utes or Seminoles. Indians is generic though (afaik).

[PeaveyFury]

But I know personally, I would think it cool if I was from a tribe that a team named themselves after.

 

But I assume you're not from one of those tribes? If my assumption is correct, you have no ability to know what actual people from those tribes think about that, right?

[dlk9s]

I wonder how Native Americans feel about this.

 

I wonder...if there is a way to find the information you so desire. Hold on, let me spend five seconds:

 

"This is the culmination of decades of work," the Oneida Nation of New York, which led the Change the Mascot Movement, said in a statement to ESPN. "Groups like the National Congress of American Indians passed resolutions for decades on this, social science has made clear these names are harmful and Cleveland got out in front of it and they're leading, and rather than having this hanging over their heads, they're charting a new path."

 

I'm sure there are many more opinions from Native Americans. Perhaps you can check the microfiche at your local library.

[FVBrewerFan]

So who's left in pro sports? Braves and Chiefs?

And yes, Cleveland River Fire is the only real choice here.

[folly412]

So who's left in pro sports? Braves and Chiefs?

 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

So who's left in pro sports? Braves and Chiefs?

 

 

Golden State Warriors

[dlk9s]

Golden State Warriors

 

That one feels different to me, since the team has purged (as far as I know) any association with Native American imagery. It is easy enough to keep the Warrior name while changing the mascot and logo. Of course, I totally understand if the historic origins of the name are still a troubling point to Native Americans, and if that's the case, sure, change it.