INDIANAPOLIS — A year after the Washington Football Team dropped its original nickname, the Major League Baseball team in Cleveland followed suit.
The Cleveland Indians announced Friday they would be known as the "Guardians" starting in 2022.
The conversation surrounding changing the names of sports teams is happening in Indianapolis, too.
The Indianapolis Indians have a committee that’s exploring a name change for the city’s baseball team. A spokesperson for the team tells 13News the team has nothing to report right now.
Friday night, some fans at Victory Field said they hoped their team won’t follow Cleveland’s example and change the team’s name.
“I like the Indianapolis Indians. If that name is changed, it doesn’t mean the same thing,” said Larry L. White.
“I think it’s the Indianapolis Indians. It’s not necessarily derogatory to anybody that I know of and I just don’t agree with it,” added David Bennett.
It is derogatory, said the executive director of the American Indian Center of Indiana.
“We, as the Native community are saying, ‘We’re not OK with our images, with our names or with connotations relating to our imagery being used this manner,’” said Carolina Castorena-Santana.
Castorena-Santana said Cleveland did the right thing changing its name to the Guardians and hopes this city’s baseball team will follow suit. She said she met with team officials this past April and thinks they should hear from more Native voices.
“I think that’s what people really need to understand is that this is dehumanizing, it’s devaluing us as contemporary people of the present,” she explained. “At this point, what are we really holding onto? Like, why not just propel Indiana forward?”
“I think we have to respect that,” said fan Jeff Reholz.
“They’re not a mascot. They’re a people,” added Abby Williams.
Some fans don’t see it that way, though, and can’t say if they’d still support the team if it changes its name.
“I don’t know. I’d have to think about it,” said Bennett.