Cleveland Indians to change name to Cleveland Guardians

(CNN) – The baseball team that became known as Cleveland Indians it will change its name next season to the Cleveland Guardians, the MLB club announced Friday morning, following decades-long criticism of the nickname from indigenous communities.

“You see, there’s always been a Cleveland, that’s the best part of our name,” says actor Tom Hanks in a video ad he narrated for the team, which he posted on Twitter. “And now is the time to come together as a family, a community, to build the next era for this team and this city,” he continues.

The move is part of a larger cultural shift in the United States, where corporate brands are reexamining the use of racist cartoons and stereotypical names.

“We recognize that the name change will be difficult for some of us, and the transition will take time,” said team owner Paul Dolan. “It is our hope and belief that this change will move us away from a path of division and instead lead us toward a future in which our fans, the city and the region are all united as the Cleveland Guardians.”

“And you have to get out of your own skin and think about other people who may have a different skin color and what they are thinking. And we try to be really respectful and I’m very proud of our organization,” he added.

The team announced last year that it would be making a name change, joining the NFL’s Washington Football Team by saying in 2020 that it would be abandoning the indigenous-evoking denomination. Cleveland removed the “Chief Wahoo” logo – a cartoon of an indigenous character – from their uniforms after the 2018 season.

The choice of the term Guardians is inspired by the architectural history of Cleveland. Traffic Wardens are the great statues art deco that adorn the Hope Memorial Bridge that connects the west side of the city with the east side.

“Indians will always be a part of our history, just as Cleveland has always been the most important part of our identity,” said Dolan. “In the search for a new brand, we are looking for a name that strongly reflects the pride, endurance and loyalty of the Clevelanders“he added.

The club will retain its colors.

A ‘welcome and necessary’ change

Home Secretary Deb Haaland, the first indigenous cabinet secretary, called the decision a “necessary and welcome change.”

“I’m glad to see the Cleveland baseball team finally change its name. The long-standing practice of using Native American mascots and images on sports teams has been detrimental to Native American communities,” Haaland posted on Twitter on Friday.

Another prominent activist from the indigenous community also praised the club’s decision.

Cleveland’s move shows it’s possible for sports teams to remove “harmful” names and mascots, said Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and CEO of IllumiNative.

“It is an important step to correct the mistakes made against indigenous peoples, and it is a step towards justice,” Echo Hawk said in a statement.

Echo Hawk renewed its call for other sports teams with names that evoke indigenous people to follow suit.

How the new name was chosen

Guardians will be the fifth name in the franchise’s 120-year history in the majors, after the Blues, Bronchos and Naps. The term Indians had by far the longest term, dating back to 1915.

Together, we are all … pic.twitter.com/R5FnT4kv1I

– Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 23, 2021

The team surveyed 40,000 followers, conducted 140 hours of interviews with supporters, community leaders and staff members, and considered more than 1,190 names before choosing Guardians, it said.

“‘Guardians’ reflects those attributes that define us, while drawing inspiration from the iconic Traffic Guardians just outside the ballpark at Hope Memorial Bridge,” said Dolan in the team’s press release.

“It brings to life the pride our City Clevelanders feel and the way we fight together for all who choose to be part of the Cleveland baseball family,” he said. “While ‘Indians’ will always be a part of our history, our new name will help unite our fans and the city as we are all Cleveland Guardians.”

CNN’s Terence Burlij, Nicquel Terry Ellis, Gregory Wallace, and David Close contributed to this report.