Indianapolis Indians will keep team name and partner with local tribe

The Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, will not change their team’s nickname, the organization announced. The minor-league baseball team also said they will partner with a local Native American tribe.

The 121-year-old club made the announcements in a news release on Wednesday, saying they will partner with the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana.

“The partnership will include a land acknowledgment, recognition of Miami veterans during Native American Heritage Night at Victory Field, support of the Miami scholarship program and fan educational opportunities,” the release said.

The Indians said they would not be changing their name despite mounting pressure at a time of reckoning over racial injustice, iconography and racism in the US.

“The team’s name, which has been the Indianapolis Indians since 1902, will remain the same during the 2023 and 2024 seasons as the organization explores and activates programs with the Miami,” according to the release.

The Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana is one of the 100 largest tribes in the US, the team said. The tribe’s chief, Brian Buchanan, released a statement about the new partnership.

“We are grateful to the Indianapolis Indians for the opportunity to share our story with Hoosiers throughout central Indiana,” Buchanan said. “When the history of Indiana is studied, the major influence of Native American people is seen in the names of Indiana cities, state parks, rivers, food, celebrations and other cultural points of interest. We have encouraged the team to remain the Indianapolis Indians.”

The movement away from Native American nicknames, mascots and logos began in earnest when the NCAA announced in August 2005 that it would ban the use of any