For Cleveland, the process began when it announced it would retire its longtime mascot, Chief Wahoo, a cartoonish caricature that was seen as particularly offensive. Many applauded the decision, but insisted the team name must go, too.
Then in July, just hours after Washington announced it would change its name (under pressure from key sponsors like FedEx, Pepsi and Nike), Cleveland said it would conduct a thorough review of its nickname. The team has consulted with many Native American groups, both in Ohio and nationally.
We are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name, the team said in a statement in July.read more
Cleveland’s Baseball Team Will Drop Its Indians Team Name
