In wake of Indians' decision, Blackhawks stay with team name

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks are going to remain the Blackhawks and there is no sign of a change coming anytime soon.

Speaking publicly for the first time since baseball's Cleveland Indians announced Monday they plan to change their name, Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz reiterated the same message the team shared this summer after lingering questions about Native American team names returned to the forefront.

“Obviously respect the decision the Cleveland Indians made to go down that path, but we continue to deepen our commitment to upholding our namesake and our brand,” Wirtz said Thursday.

In July, after Washington's NFL team announced it was reviewing its name, the Blackhawks said they planned to continue with their name because it honors Black Hawk, a Native American leader from Illinois’ Sac & Fox Nation. Washington ended up dropping the “Redskins” name, logo and all Native American imagery. The Indians announced their decision this week, while the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and baseball's Atlanta Braves have said they have no plans to change their name.

The Blackhawks also said this summer they are committed “to raising the bar even higher” when it comes to expanding awareness of Black Hawk and all Native American people — and Wirtz, the son of Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz, made it sound as if that effort had only reinforced what the franchise felt about its name. The team announced later in July that they were banning headdresses at home games as part of their pledge to honor the Native American community.

“The work we’ve been doing over the last several months in expanding and deepening conversations and partnerships within the native community, we continue to feel really positive about the types of work we can do," Danny Wirtz said, "the way in which we can be better stewards of...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/In-wake-of-Indians-decision-Blackhawks-stay-15811814.php