As pressure mounts on the NFL’s Washington Redskins to change their name, fans are renewing calls on Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians to alter their team’s name, as well.
On Friday, just a few hours after the Redskins issued a statement about their moniker, Cleveland did likewise. It reads in part, “We are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.”
Read the full statement below.
https://t.co/NUM5GYvlwe—
Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 04, 2020
The team’s controversial Chief Wahoo logo, adopted in 1947, was officially reduced to secondary status in favor of a block letter “C” in 2014. Chief Wahoo was removed entirely from signage and uniforms in 2019.
The Atlanta Braves are another MLB franchise that has frequently been called out for their moniker, most recently following news that the Aunt Jemima brand would be abandoning its longtime name and removing its logo, which is based on a racial stereotype. Those opposed to the team’s current identity object not just to the name, they also find the team mascot the celebratory “Tomahawk Chop” offensive.
Over in the NFL, the Redskins are facing increasing pressure from major sponsors, Native American groups and others.
“In light of recent events around our country and feedback from our community, the Washington Redskins are announcing the team will undergo a thorough review of the team’s name,” the franchise said in a statement posted on Twitter. “This review formalizes the initial discussions the team has been having with the league in recent weeks.” You can read the full statement below.
Team owner Dan Snyder had previously said that he would never change the team’s name, but he has come under mounting financial and political pressure given the national conversation on racism and human rights following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“This process allows the team to take into account not only the proud tradition and history of the franchise but also input from our alumni, the organization, sponsors, the National Football League and the local community it is proud to represent on and off the field,” Snyder said in the statement.
The team’s statement Friday came after Snyder was informed by federal officials Thursday that he must change the team’s name if he wants to relocate to the site of RFK Stadium. Later in the day, FedEx, the title sponsor of the Redskins’ stadium in Landover, Maryland, released a formal statement indicating that it had asked “the team in Washington” for a name change. FedEx has naming rights to the team’s stadium under a $205 million deal that runs until 2025.
Adweek also has reported that sponsors Nike and PepsiCo are under pressure to sever ties with the team unless it changes its name.
The Redskins’ name controversy is nothing new. Native Americans have been questioning the use of the team name and image since the 1960s, while the issue has received increasing public attention since the 1990s. The franchise has had the name Redskins since its second season in 1933, when it still played in Boston. Snyder bought the team in 1999 for $750 million.
Another NFL franchise, the Kansas City Chiefs, was being eyed as next in line by many who took to Twitter on Friday night.