On July 3, 2020, on the heels of the Washington Redskins announcing that they would “undergo a thorough review” of that team’s name, the Indians announced that they would “determine the best path forward” regarding the team’s name and emphasized the need to “keep improving as an organization on issues of social justice.”

On December 13, 2020, it was reported that the Indians’ name would be dropped after the 2021 season, with the possibility of moving ahead without a new name.