Cleveland’s name change could shake things up for Colorado Rockies

Name changes are sparse. Recent changes of racially insensitive names are needed, but hide the lack of change occurring in teams and their often outdated monikers. What if the Colorado Rockies made a swap?

Per an announcement by the team on Monday, the Cleveland Indians will be changing their name in the next few years. They’ve already said the name will remain until the change happens, which could be held off until the conclusion of the 2021 campaign.

The trend follows previous changes by the organization, including the dismissal of their Chief Wahoo logo.

Several names have already been discussed on social media, including Cleveland Rocks, the Cleveland Spiders, and even the Cleveland Wild Things – a loose homage to the hit film, Major League and its main character Ricky Vaughn, also nicknamed “Wild Thing.” The latter seems like a reach, but the first two appear to be contenders.

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Let’s assume Cleveland becomes the Rocks. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is in Cleveland and it’s appropriately referred to as the hub of Rock and Roll. Heck, Drew Carey even used the song, “Cleveland Rocks,” for his sitcom, “The Drew Carey Show.” As someone who made it to the 2019 All-Star Game, I can promise you I almost learned the lyrics word for word.

Team names have coincided forever. College sports have been the biggest culprit with more teams named the Lions, Tigers, and Bulldogs than anyone can count. Each are still their own team with their own set of traditions and fans.

Conceivably, the Colorado Rockies could co-exist with the Cleveland Rocks. But, would that really be the best-case scenario? The Rockies often have their name shortened to “Rox” when referred to by media and fans. The spelling is the only difference.

Even at their apex, the Rockies often take a back seat to bigger and more historical clubs like Cleveland. With the same name, get ready for even less allure.