In a team released video, narrated by Tom Hanks and featuring the Black Keys, the organization that had been known as the Cleveland Indians since 1915 officially unveiled their rebrand this morning:
Back in 2018, amid public outcry denouncing the team logo and name, Cleveland stopped using “Chief Wahoo” on caps and jerseys as a first step. Team owner Paul Dolan noted that last summer’s social unrest following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were pivotal moments in the team’s decision to rebrand.
The club spent much of the last year going over more than a thousand submitted names and logos for the team. Ultimately they settled on “Guardians” as a nod to the “Guardians of Traffic” statues that flank the Lorain-Carnegie bridge and are iconic local landmarks.
Among other finalists that the team was reportedly considering was the “Avengers” and the “Spiders”. The Cleveland Spiders nickname would have been a throwback to American Association baseball club which competed from 1887-1899.
Cleveland will continue to compete in their traditional uniforms and apparel for the remainder of the season with the rebrand coming into effect next year.