DENVER -- A court case in Canada involving the Indians' Chief Wahoo logo is ongoing, and Major League Baseball continues to discuss the logo in question with the team's ownership.
"We had a development in Ontario," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred explained to a group of reporters at Coors Field on Wednesday." We were hoping that case was going to be dismissed, and it was not. I think that it points out the ongoing practical problems posed by this particular logo."
During the American League Championship Series between the Indians and Blue Jays last October, Douglas Cardinal, an advocate for indigenous people, filed a request for injunction with the Supreme Court of Justice in Toronto in an effort to block the use of the Indians' team name and secondary logo. That initial request was rejected, but the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal recently ruled that an Ontario court can hear the case.
The Indians have diminished use of the Chief Wahoo logo in recent years, using the Block C as their primary icon. Chief Wahoo is still used on the sleeve of the team's uniforms and as the hat logo for one of Cleveland's home caps.
Manfred discussed the logo with the Indians in January, when the team was awarded the 2019 All-Star Game. In April, when it was reported that the Commissioner wants to find a solution for transitioning away from the logo, the Indians issued the following statement:
"We certainly understand the sensitivities of the logo -- those who find it insensitive and also those fans who have a long-standing attachment to its place in the history of the team. We fully expect to work with the Commissioner throughout the remainder of this season on finding a solution that is good for the game and our organization."