It is not a matter of if the Cleveland Indians are going to change their name, but when. Ownership had formed a committee to explore options for a new name this offseason, and while the Indians moniker will remain in place for this year, that will eventually change. It is, however, a matter of when that can happen.
This is a question that ownership is hoping to answer by midseason. According to owner Paul Dolan, the team should know if the name can be changed for 2022 by the middle of this season. Otherwise, that name change will take place in 2023.
Cleveland Indians name change may be coming soon
This change was inevitable. The Indians had been under fire for years, not just for their name but for their mascot Chief Wahoo. The mascot had been removed, replaced by the block C on their caps, but the legacy remains.
While there had been resistance to a name change in the past, the tides have shifted. After watching the Washington Football Team abandon their Redskins moniker, it made sense that the Indians would be next. However, they are not just going to be that nameless team until a new nickname is selected.
There are challenges to finding that new name. Different entities own the rights to different team names, making that part of the equation more difficult. Then, once they find possible names that are not owned by other teams, it is a matter of finding one that the fanbase and owners actually like.
However, that is a better problem to have. The Indians’ name has become an issue over the years, although it is an issue that is finally being addressed. It is now just a matter of time before that name is officially changed.
The Cleveland Indians are hoping to know soon whether or not they can change their name for 2022. If not, it will be another year before that happens.