Cleveland Guardians

After months of teasing and speculation, the Cleveland Indians officially announced their new name on Friday, July 23, 2021: The Cleveland Guardians. The team’s new moniker will take effect at the end of the 2021 baseball season.

The decision to change the team name was made after years of pressure from fans and Native American groups who criticized the use of “Indians” as offensive and disrespectful. The team’s previous logo, Chief Wahoo, also came under fire for being a racist caricature of Native Americans. In 2018, the team announced that it would retire the Chief Wahoo logo from uniforms and ballpark displays; however, the name “Indians” remained in use until 2021.

The Cleveland Guardians name is a nod to the city’s iconic Hope Memorial Bridge, which is decorated with eight art deco statues of winged “guardians” that symbolize progress and enlightenment. The name was chosen after extensive research and consultation with fans, community leaders, and branding experts.

“Guardians reflects those attributes that define us while drawing on the iconic Guardians of Traffic just outside the ballpark on the Hope Memorial Bridge,” said team owner Paul Dolan in a statement. “It brings to life the pride Clevelanders take in our city and the way we work together for all who choose to be part of the Cleveland baseball family. While ‘Indians’ will always be part of our history, our new name will help unify our fans and city as we move forward.”

The announcement of the Cleveland Guardians name has been met with mixed reactions from fans. Some are excited about the new name and the positive message it sends, while others are nostalgic for the old name and feel that the change is unnecessary.

“Guardians is a strong name with a lot of history and symbolism in the city,” said Bob DiBiasio, the team’s senior vice president of public affairs. “We believe it will resonate with fans and be a source of pride for the team and the city.”

The team revealed a new logo and branding that features a script “Guardians” wordmark with a pair of winged baseballs flanking it. The color scheme will remain red, white, and navy blue, with a lighter shade of blue added as an accent color.

The Cleveland Guardians will continue to play at Progressive Field, which opened in 1994 and has been the team’s home ever since. The stadium has undergone several renovations over the years and is known for its distinctive outfield dimensions and the large “Guardians of Traffic” sculptures that overlook the field from the bridge beyond the center-field wall.

The Cleveland Guardians will make their official debut in 2022, and the team has already started selling merchandise with the new name and logo. Fans can purchase jerseys, hats, and other items online and at the Progressive Field team shop.

The change to the Cleveland Guardians is part of a larger trend of sports teams reexamining their names and logos to ensure that they are inclusive and respectful to all fans. The Washington Football Team changed its name from the Washington Redskins in 2020 after decades of criticism, and the Atlanta Braves have faced scrutiny for their use of the Tomahawk Chop chant and Native American-inspired imagery.

Overall, the Cleveland Guardians name represents a positive step forward for the team and the city. By choosing a name that reflects the city’s history and values while also acknowledging past mistakes, the Cleveland Guardians can move into the future with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to inclusivity and diversity.