Rob Manfred gives giant cop-out answer on changing Braves name

The Atlanta Braves could be the next team in line for a name change, right after the soon-to-be Cleveland Guardians. Here’s what Rob Manfred had to say.

The Braves have long resisted a name change, but when the Cleveland Indians finally relented to alter their name and appearance from ‘Indians’ to ‘Guardians’, the Braves appear to be the next franchise due an alteration in representation.

MLB moved the All-Star Game from Atlanta as recently as this past season, and while that wasn’t directly in result of the Braves name, it does speak to a movement around the sport to avoid offending some of its fanbase. While that seems simple enough, many longtime Atlanta baseball fans suggest otherwise.

With the Braves in the World Series starting this week, Manfred once again commented on the possibility of changing the team name. He gave the most non-answer answer he could think of at that moment in time.

Braves name change: Should it be forced?

“It’s important to understand that we have 30 markets around the country. They aren’t all the same. The Braves have done a phenomenal job with the Native American community,” Manfred said. “We don’t market our game on a nationwide basis. Ours is an everyday game. You’ve gotta sell tickets every single day to the fans in that market. And there are all sorts of differences between the regions in terms of how the teams are marketed.”

Manfred claimed that the Braves name, along with the Tomahawk chop, is actually an ode to the Native American community, rather than an insult to the very people they’re sworn to represent.

Either way, it’s not much of an answer. Manfred is not saying he’ll defend the name, nor is he claiming it should be changed. He’s just…commenting in lawyer-speak.

That won’t make anyone happy.