Cleveland Guardians Minority Owner Thinks Fans Have Grown To Like Team's Name

Everyone has their take on a team like the Cleveland Guardians changing names to appeal to modern sensitivities. However, one Cleveland Guardians minority owner says that he likes the name and that it has resonated with fans.

That doesn't sound entirely true from what I've heard anecdotally, but, hey, let's hear him out.

The Guardians minority owner who said this was Matt Kaulig. That's a name that should ring a bell for NASCAR fans as he also owns Kaulig Racing which competes in both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series.

"I actually like the Guardians name now," Kaulig told Fox News Digital at a golf tournament hosted by former Indians pitcher CC Sabathia. "At first, everybody resists change anyway. Anything that changes — if I change my name — it would be hard to get used to."

That's definitely true. People always fight change no matter what it is. In the Guardians' case, they were kicking aside an Indians identity with more than a century of history. You can kind of understand why some fans may have become a little attached to it.

The Guardians/Indians Were One Of Several Teams That Panicked And Changed Their Name

The team decided to follow through with a rebrand around the time when it was all the rage in sports. The Redskins became the Washington Football Team then finally the Commanders, and even the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos changed their name to the Edmonton Elks, all in the name of sensitivity.

While it's true that people will for the most part accept the name change — although saying Cleveland Guardians still feels a little clunky and weird — Kaulig's comments come at an interesting time.

Now that these teams have changed names, there are now indigenous groups fighting to bring the original names back.

The Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) recently told Fox News Digital that all of these identity changes were caused by "toxic ignorance."

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle