Chief Wahoo is out of the game
Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Cleveland Indians have come to the mutual agreement to cease using their Chief Wahoo logo starting in the 2019 baseball season.
The Cleveland baseball team's logo has been a point of contention for many years, and the team has agreed to cease using the logo on their uniforms.
"Major League Baseball is committed to building a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the game," said Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, who has been having an open dialogue with the Cleveland Indians since his ascension to the position in 2015.
It was made clear that long-term Cleveland fans have an attachment to the logo that has been used for decades. "Nonetheless, the club ultimately agreed with my position that the logo is no longer appropriate for on-field use in Major League Baseball," said Manfred.
Although the American League will stop using the logo, Chief Wahoo will still have a retail presence in two areas, Northeast Ohio and Goodyear, Arizona. According to Cleveland.com, the limited retail sale of the logo, as well as the retention of the Chief Wahoo trademark is a legal attempt to prevent others from using it for profit. A local presence will be maintained as well.
As of now, there is no indication that Cleveland will move to change the team name from the Indians.
The Cleveland Indians aren't the only organization that has come under fire for racist sports names/logos. Both the Washington Redskins NFL team and Florida State Seminoles have team names and logos that have been wrapped in controversy. There has been no move from either organization in the past 24 hours to follow suit.
What do you think about the Cleveland Indians removing Chief Wahoo from their uniforms? Should they change their name as well? Or is this all too much? Tell us below!