With one of the hottest names in American sports to finally change, the next big change is likely to come to baseball.
The Washington NFL franchise announced Monday that it will change its name, the results of a yearlong fight between the team and Native American defense groups that argued that the name “redskins” was derogatory.
The franchise has yet to announce a new name, but it’s on the way. The Cleveland Indians and the Atlanta Braves, two baseball franchises that also have native images and nicknames, could be next.
Given the current conversations about race in this country, and the speed with which even some long-standing debates are now settling, don’t be surprised if one or both franchises look different soon.
Here is what we currently know about the discussions involving the Indians and the brave:
Indians sidelined Chief Wahoo after 2018, but is a new name coming? (Photo by Jason Miller / Getty Images)
Cleveland Indians: is a new name coming?
Indians have been slowly transforming their image in recent years. The Indians announced on July 4 that they were going to discuss changing their name. This occurred shortly after the Redskins announced that they were reviewing his name. Now that the Redskins are moving forward with the change, it appears that the Indians would too.
The Indians have already stopped using Chief Wahoo, their old logo with a cartoonish caricature of a Native American chief. Wahoo was the main point of discussion for activists demanding a change in Cleveland, but the name change has also been on the table in recent years.
It was Major League Baseball that considered Chief Wahoo “no longer appropriate” in 2018. However, over the years, the leadership of the Indians has been much more open to change than the Redskins, which makes them the best candidate for change.
Some names that have been discussed include: The Cleveland Spiders (Cleveland’s original baseball team), the Cleveland Buckeyes (a reference to the Cleveland Black League franchise) or something more whimsical like the Cleveland Rocks.
Atlanta Braves fans doing the “Tomahawk Chop”. (Photo by Kevin Liles / Getty Images)
Atlanta Braves: Is the Tomahawk Chop on the chopping block?
When discussions with the Redskins and Indians began, the Braves released a statement saying they had no plans to change their name. However, the Tomahawk Chop, which has been popular with fans since the 1990s, could be phased out.
“We will always be the Atlanta Braves,” the team recently said in an email to fans. He also said in a statement: “[The organization] Honor, support, and value the Native American community. That will never change “.
I can’t say the same for The Chop. While opposing teams have grown to hate him over the years, because tens of thousands of fans chopping and singing in unison can get you out of your game, the Braves said they plan to engage with the community, fans, and players. of Native Americans to examine their fans. experience, including continued use of the Tomahawk Chop. This will happen after the 2020 season, the team said.
The topic hit the headlines last season when Ryan Helsley, a member of the Cherokee nation who pitches for the St. Louis Cardinals, said he found the song insulting. The Braves did not turn in their foam Tomahawks prior to Game 5 of their postseason series with the Cardinals.
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