Cleveland Baseball Club

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We are Cleveland. We are baseball.

I want to make the case to you that when the current Indians drop the nickname, they should go with Cleveland Baseball Club. Here’s my rationale:

There are three reasons for team allegiance.

1. Geography/proximity

2. Relationship influence

3. Success on the field

A new team name has dramatic affect on two of the three. It will be polarizing, no matter what. Dropping Indians and not having a team name, hence, Cleveland Baseball Club, doesn’t affect these reasons nearly as much.

My fandom of Cleveland sports isn’t because of the words Indians, Cavaliers or Browns. It has to do with the city. My city. Cleveland. Baseball.

Cleveland baseball holds historic value as a franchise. The baseball team has a very long, storied history. I think a lot of people associate Indians with Chief Wahoo. It’s time to move on. The city is always the first word in the team name. Building a brand around this makes the team unique. Just like the Browns are the only team in the NFL without a logo, the Cleveland Baseball Club could be the only team without a nickname. Thinking that replacing a team name with another one is misplaced. The important aspect is the city. Our city.

With all this in mind, as a graphic designer and illustrator, I did some branding for the Cleveland Baseball Club. I’ve come up with a new “C” that pays tribute to their history and holds up to modern cultures.