As pressure builds on the NFL Washington Redskins to change their name, fans renew their calls to the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball to change their team name as well.
Friday, just hours after the Redskins released a nickname statement, Cleveland did the same. It reads in part: “We are committed to engaging our community and the appropriate stakeholders to determine the best course of action regarding the name of our team.”
Read the full statement below.
https://t.co/NUM5GYvlwe—
Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 04, 2020
The controversial Chef Wahoo logo, adopted in 1947, was officially reverted to secondary status in favor of a letter “C” in 2014. Chef Wahoo was completely removed from signage and uniforms in 2019.
The Atlanta Braves are another MLB franchise that has often been called by their nickname, most recently after the brand Aunt Jemima abandoned its long-standing name and removed its logo, based on a racial stereotype. Those who oppose the current identity of the team are not limited to the name, they also find the team mascot the celebratory offensive “Tomahawk Chop”.
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Washington Redskins to lead
In the NFL, the Redskins are facing increasing pressure from major sponsors, Native American groups and others.
“In light of recent events in our country and comments from our community, the Washington Redskins are announcing that the team will undergo a thorough review of the team name,” the franchise said in a statement on Twitter. “This review formalizes the initial discussions the team has had with the league in recent weeks.” You can read the full statement below.
Team owner Dan Snyder had previously stated that he would never change the team name, but he faced increasing financial and political pressure given the national conversation on racism and human rights. after 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 the contributions of our alumni, the organization, sponsors, the National Football League and the local community that it is proud to represent on and off the field. Said Snyder in the statement.
The team’s statement on Friday came after Snyder was informed by federal officials on Thursday that he had to change the team’s name if he wanted to move to the RFK stadium site. Later that day, FedEx, the title sponsor of the Redskins stadium in Landover, Maryland, issued an official statement saying it had asked “the Washington team” to change its name. FedEx has the right to name the team stadium under a $ 205 million agreement that will last until 2025.
Adweek also reported that sponsors Nike and PepsiCo are under pressure to sever ties with the team, unless it changes its name.
The controversy over the Redskins’ name is nothing new. Native Americans have questioned the use of the team’s name and image since the 1960s, while the issue has received increasing public attention since the 1990s. The franchise has been known as Redskins since her second season in 1933, while still playing in Boston. Snyder bought the team in 1999 for $ 750 million.
Another NFL franchise, the Kansas City Chiefs, was envisioned as the next line by many who visited Twitter on Friday night.
