The Cleveland Indians are reportedly on their way out.
According to the New York Times, the Major League Baseball organization is set to drop its team name after years of protests and discussions surrounding the racist imagery.
The team hasn’t officially made a statement, although the organization tweeted July 3 that it was reviewing its name. The organization has changed its logos over the years, moving away from Chief Wahoo and adopting a block “C” logo.
“We are committed to making a positive impact in our community and embrace our responsibility to advance social justice and equality,” the team, which has been named the Indians since 1915, said this summer. “Our organization fully recognizes our team name is among the most visible ways in which we connect with the community.
“We have had ongoing discussions organizationally on these issues. The recent social unrest in our community and our country has only underscored the need for us to keep improving as an organization on issues of social justice.
“We recognize our unique place in the community and are committed to listening, learning, and acting in the manner that can best unite and inspire our city and all those who support our team.”
Related: Redskins, Indians Debate Name Changes
The New York Times, which cited three anonymous sources, reported that Cleveland could officially announce the move as soon as this week. The newspaper also reported that one of the sources said the team plans to “keep the Indians name and uniforms for the 2021 season while working to shift as early as 2022.”
The Indians have followed a path similar to the Washington Redskins in the NFL. The team in Washington, D.C., dropped its name in July due to racist imagery and has been going by the Washington Football Team this season.
