# Cleveland Indians considering a name change \[Edit: It's "Guardians"\] **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [July 4, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323 "2020-07-04T20:53:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/422 "2021-08-02T16:18:34Z")
AFAIK, all team websites are [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) subdomains. > **[Cleveland Guardians | Cleveland Guardians](https://www.mlb.com/guardians/fans/cleteamname)** > > Cleveland Guardians ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/423 "2021-08-02T16:20:33Z")
So not a problem that someone already owns [clevelandguardians.com](http://clevelandguardians.com)? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/424 "2021-08-02T16:21:55Z")
It would be a small problem – for those who don’t know to go through [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) first. I assume [Official Cleveland Guardians Website | MLB.com](https://www.mlb.com/indians) will automatically redirect to the Guardians site; I see it’s already doing the reverse. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/425 "2021-08-02T16:24:34Z")
How many people still guess at a website URL and type it rather than just doing a Google search for something like Cleveland Guardians? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/426 "2021-08-02T16:26:32Z")
I did say “small”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/427 "2021-08-02T17:25:11Z")
If you google “Cleveland Guardians”, the first site is the [Official Cleveland Guardians Website | MLB.com](http://mlb.com/guardians) site, the next 10 or so are news stories, and then you get the roller derby site. For most MLB teams I tried, entering “[www.teamname.com](http://www.teamname.com)” redirected you to the team website on mlb. Even things you suspect might be their own websites, like “brewers” or “pirates” or “angels”. The exceptions were: “rays” takes you to a restaurant. “giants” takes you to the NFL team website, (but “cardinals” goes to the baseball team - apparently the NFL team is “[www.azcardinals.com](http://www.azcardinals.com)”). “twins” is owned by someone, but empty. “guardians” is available for sale. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/428 "2021-08-03T18:22:54Z")
Here’s more on the story: > **[All they had to do was check ClevelandGuardians.com and they didn’t do it](https://deadspin.com/all-they-had-to-do-was-check-clevelandguardians-com-and-1847403859)** > > Before changing your team’s name, you might want to consult the internet ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/429 "2021-08-04T17:36:41Z")
I expect that they’ll have a really easy time buying the domain name from the roller-derby team, given the monetary disparity between the two sports. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/430 "2021-08-04T17:51:43Z")
I checked to see whether anyone is using [guardians.com](http://guardians.com) (without the “cleveland”). It’s not in use, but is up for sale by [uniregistry.com](http://uniregistry.com). I’m surprised the team hasn’t already grabbed it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/431 "2021-08-05T12:41:08Z")
Now, that one is absolutely baffling. Buying a name nobody wants from a domain-squatter is fairly cheap. Buying the name of a major league sports team from a squatter is going to be expensive. They should have bought the name just before the official announcement. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/432 "2021-08-07T16:00:49Z")
Buzzards would have been great, especially if they could have acquired rights to the WMMS buzzard logo (but maybe a little too edgy for MLB approval): [![](https://i.iheart.com/v3/re/assets.brands/60c9021e7ffe95e9f2055321) ](https://i.iheart.com/v3/re/assets.brands/60c9021e7ffe95e9f2055321) [https://birding-in-ohio.com/medina-county/hinckley-reservation-buzzard-roost/](https://birding-in-ohio.com/medina-county/hinckley-reservation-buzzard-roost/) ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/433 "2021-08-07T19:33:53Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > That’s not necessarily an issue. Didn’t New York City have teams in the NFL and MLB both called the Giants? And I’m sure there are other examples. The only other example I can think of off the top of my head is St. Louis, who for a time had both a football (now in Arizona and still the Cardinals) and baseball team named the Cardinals. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/434 "2021-08-07T20:15:00Z")
Y’know, in the last few weeks, I’ve been seeing a LOT of folks wearing T-shirts depicting the Guardians statues, in some way or another. And these aren’t official MLB wear: They’re all Cleveland-themed shirts that folks already had (though they had obviously dug them out of their closets due to the baseball team). I hadn’t realized that they’d penetrated quite that far into Cleveland culture-- That makes the new name a lot better, in my eyes. I’m also curious to see what G. V. Art (local T-shirt-and-other-graphic-arts shop, that specializes in Cleveland pride) does with the Guardians. I just hope that MLB doesn’t try to lay any sort of exclusive claims to the statues, so that other Cleveland-based events, organizations, etc. can continue to use them as they have been. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2021, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/435 "2021-08-09T02:45:33Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > The only other example I can think of off the top of my head is St. Louis, who for a time had both a football (now in Arizona and still the Cardinals) and baseball team named the Cardinals. For 28 years, in fact. The football Cardinals moved to St. Louis from Chicago for the 1960 season, then left for Phoenix for the 1988 season; the baseball Cardinals, of course, continue to be in St. Louis (as they always have been), and have gone by that team name since 1900. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/436 "2021-08-19T16:38:19Z")
Best name in baseball: [Rocket City Trash Pandas.](https://www.milb.com/rocket-city) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/437 "2021-08-19T17:14:28Z")
The logo is awesome too. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/71/Rocket_City_Trash_Pandas.svg/1200px-Rocket_City_Trash_Pandas.svg.png) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/71/Rocket_City_Trash_Pandas.svg/1200px-Rocket_City_Trash_Pandas.svg.png) That’s my wife’s favorite minor league team (at least as far as name/logo are concerned). ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/438 "2021-08-19T21:01:32Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > The logo is awesome too. > > [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/71/Rocket\_City\_Trash\_Pandas.svg/1200px-Rocket\_City\_Trash\_Pandas.svg.png](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/71/Rocket_City_Trash_Pandas.svg/1200px-Rocket_City_Trash_Pandas.svg.png) > > That’s my wife’s favorite minor league team (at least as far as name/logo are concerned) That _is_ pretty kick-ass. But the critter looks more like a raccoon than a panda. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/439 "2021-08-19T21:03:42Z")
Trash panda is the slang name for raccoon. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/440 "2021-08-19T21:10:25Z")
Exactly. [https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/76486090.jpg](https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/76486090.jpg) They look panda-ish (due to their facial markings) and are fond of going through garbage to forage for food. Also famously referenced in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AghSjFSx3zQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Rocket's Called a Trash Panda in Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' (2017)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AghSjFSx3zQ) The guy who came up with the team name denies the suggestion that it was derived from Rocket Raccoon, despite the fact that the film with the scene above was released a year earlier. > **[Rocket City Trash Pandas chosen as new Madison baseball team’s name](https://whnt.com/sports/minor-league-baseball/rocket-city-trash-pandas-chosen-as-new-madison-baseball-teams-name/)** > > MADISON, Ala. — After three months of ideas, voting and speculation, it has been decided: Madison’s Minor League Baseball team will be known as the Rocket City Trash Pandas. BallCorps Inc., t… I think the comparisons are inevitable, though. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/441 "2021-08-19T21:24:23Z")
Ah, gotcha. Didn’t know that. Ignorance fought! Great logo, regardless. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323.md?page=23)