Why Blackhawks Are Sticking With Name Despite Changes In Other Sports

Two professional sports teams in the United States have decided to distance themselves from their long-standing names this year.

One NHL team, however, will not follow suit.

The Chicago Blackhawks do not plan to change their name after Cleveland’s recent decision to drop its “Indians” moniker following the 2021 season. The Washington Football Team dropped their original nickname this summer.

But the Blackhawks do not believe they need to make the change, according to chief executive officer Danny Wirtz. Chicago believes it is committed to raising awareness about Native American culture.

“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,” Wirtz said, via the Associated Press, “the way in which we can be better stewards of the namesake and the history, and to use our platforms to be educators, not only for our fans, but for our internal teams and making sure that we provide that reverence and respect that we talk about.”

The Blackhawks have gone by the same name since 1926, though the spelling was updated from “Black Hawks” in 1986. And for now, it doesn’t look like there’s any further change on the horizon.