The Atlanta Braves minor league club in Georgia will drop the controversial nickname and tomahawk logo for next season, as both are considered “offensive” to many Native Americans
- The Atlanta Braves have resisted a similar change in recent years
- The Cleveland Guardians (formerly known as the Indians) have been renamed in 2021
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Atlanta’s minor league affiliate in Rome, Georgia, will drop its Braves nickname and ask fans to submit ideas for a new one in the process.
The High-A South Atlantic League team, the third tier in Atlanta’s minor league system, has been an affiliate of the Braves since 2003 and will also move away from the controversial tomahawk logo, which many Native Americans consider offensive.
The NFL’s Washington Redskins (now Commanders) and the MLB’s Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) have responded with similar changes in recent years.
“As we look to the future, we recognize the importance of a team name that resonates with our diverse fan base and embodies the spirit of Rome,” team officials said in a statement, noting that the new designation will take effect in 2024.
The Atlanta Braves parent club opposed a similar change, saying in 2020 that the team’s nickname “honours, respects and values the Native American community.”
The Rome Braves of the High A’s will undergo a rebranding process next season
The Atlanta Braves have no plans to change their relationship with their minor league team, despite the name and logo change, which many Native Americans consider “offensive.”
The Rome team has no plans to change its relationship with the Braves, but it will join other minor league teams that have been renamed their unique nicknames for marketing purposes.
For example, Atlanta’s Triple-A team in Gwinnett switched from the Braves to the Stripers for the 2018 season.
Rome’s change leaves the Double-A Mississippi Braves the only team in the top four to still carry its parent club nickname.
A year ago, Rome was in last place in the 12-team Sally League, averaging just over 1,400.
The NFL’s Washington Redskins (now Commanders) underwent a similar change last year
The Indians (now Guardians) were the first MLB franchise to drop Native American imagery
A name-the-team contest will help choose the new name for next season.
“After 20 proud years as the Rome Braves, the time has come to usher in a new era,” the team also said in the statement shared on social media. “Our mission is to give the community in Rome a brand as unique and special as the area itself.
“For Braves fans, our long-standing relationship with the Atlanta Braves will continue for years to come, but we want to create an identity that fans across the region can proudly claim and call their own.”
Rome is about 100 kilometers northwest of Braves’ Truist Park home.