Cleveland Baseball Team Name Change Options
A lot of discussion recently has popped up about the Cleveland Indians needing to make a name-change. I understand that many folks disagree with the idea that a name-change is necessary, but I don't want to debate that in this post. For the sake of discussion, let's assume that a name-change is coming. My question is then, which name options do we prefer? I've identified a few commonly mentioned options below, with some reasoning behind them.
A couple notes: I have not included Cleveland Tribe because I assume the team will want to distance themselves from words associate with Native American traditions if/when they make a change, nor have I included Cleveland Buckeyes, because I would assume that the Indians realistically would not want to have the same name as Ohio State's teams.
Option 1 - The Cleveland Spiders - As we are all aware, there is a history of a professional ball-club named the Spiders playing in Cleveland. Cy Young pitched for them, and while they were mostly horrible, they did have a couple good seasons. Spiders offer plenty of fuel for cool images, and would be especially appropriate in late October runs as Halloween approaches.
Option 2 - The Cleveland Guardians - The traffic guardians are one of the few notable architectural features in the city. The name offers some good source for imagery and possibly some partnerships with Disney/Marvel for Guardians of the Galaxy-themed gear that younger fans might enjoy.
Option 3 - The Cleveland Baseball Club - Perhaps called BC for short, this idea takes off on a common approach in Soccer, and eliminates the opportunity to offend an ethnic group. They would also lend themselves to any sorts of nicknames a fanbase might add.
Option 4 - The Cleveland Rockers - I get the sense that many on this site are tired of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame imagery constantly connected to any sporting event that takes place here, but it remains one of the images for which Cleveland is most known naturally. And, the fuel for creative branding is plentiful.
Option 5 - The Cleveland Conductors - This is an idea completely of my own creation, referencing Cleveland's role in the Underground Railroad as well as the idea of trains in general, plus the role of Cleveland's amazing Orchestra in the life of the city. Many kids love trains, train whistles are a fun sound to play in games, and public transit via trains seems likely only to become more prominent in the future, and music is always a good addition to anything. Plus, the alliteration in the name is fun.
I'm sure there are others out there, but for now, just curious which of these five options you would choose! Please vote in the poll below and comment as you like!