![The announcement to consider a name change comes shortly after a similar announcement by the Washington, D.C., football team. [Cleveland Indians]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2ef3056/2147483647/strip/true/crop/890x500+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F7%2F03%2Findians_web3.jpg)
The Cleveland Indians are exploring the possibility of a change in the team鈥檚 name.
The Indians issued a statement Friday night saying it would seek input on its name.
鈥淲e are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name,鈥� the statement reads.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians)
The move came on the heels of news from Washington that the NFL franchise there, the Redskins, was considering a change of its name.
Redskins management said it would conduct a 鈥渢horough review鈥� of the team鈥檚 name a day after FedEx, which has a naming rights deal with the team鈥檚 stadium, requested a name change.
For years, those dissatisfied with the Redskins name, and the Indians, have called for change. But the current Black Lives Matter movement has put a spotlight on the issue.
The Indians statement read: 鈥淭he recent social unrest in our community and our country has only underscored the need for us to keep improving as an organization on issues of social justice.鈥�
Last year, the team stopped using on its uniforms the Chief Wahoo mascot, a controversial caricature of a Native American.
The Indians said in the team statement, 鈥淲e recognize our unique place in the community and are committed to listening, learning and acting in the manner that can best unite and inspire our city and all those who support our team.鈥�
