The Cleveland Indians will officially become the Guardians starting on Friday, November 19, according to a press release from the team. Per the announcement, the team store at Progressive Field will open that morning with all the gear featuring the new moniker and logo. The change will also be reflected in the digital realm, as their website and social media handles will also be altered to usher in the new era for the franchise.
The club announced in July of 2020 that a name change was under consideration. Then the franchise finally announced in December of 2020 that a name change was forthcoming. In July of this year, it was revealed that the Indians would become the Cleveland Guardians after the 2021 campaign. The club had been known as the Indians for more than 100 years.
This follows similar name changes for other sports teams, both amateur and professional. Many high school and college teams throughout North America have pivoted away from similar iconography in recent years, which was followed by decisions from pro sports franchises such as the NFL franchise now known as the Washington Football Team.
