[MLB] Indians most hated team in baseball

[El Guapo]

According to the Nielsen Company.

With 27 World Series championships, baseball's highest payroll and some of the most boastful fans in sports, the New York Yankees have to be the team other baseball fans love to hate, right? Wrong.

According to a formula created by The Neilsen Company, there are four teams more hated than the Bronx Bombers, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The No. 1 most hated team in baseball, according to the formula, is the Cleveland Indians. The Boston Red Sox, the Yankees' archrival, ranks No. 2 on the list.

The formula helps determine whether consumers have positive, negative or neutral reactions to brands in their online messages. Neilsen's "Sentiment Rankings" ranges from 5 to -5. No team finished with a negative number. But six teams finished with a number lower than 2.

The rest of the not-so top 10: Chicago White Sox (No. 7), Baltimore Orioles (No. 8), New York Mets (No. 9) and Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 10).

At least one Indians blogger wasn't surprised by the findings.

"I can believe that though," Deep Left Field Indians blogger Ed Carroll told the newspaper. "The team does a lot to alienate its fans."

The Cincinnati Reds (No. 3) and Houston Astros (No. 4) also ranked higher than the Yankees on the hatred scale. The Washington Nationals (No. 6) were the only other team to have a number lower than 2.

The San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics were the most popular teams among fans, according to Neilsen's study.

Really? People hate the Reds more than the Yankees? And they only hate the Yankees slightly more than the Nationals?

I think you boys need to go back to the drawing board on this formula, boys. I suspect that "indifference" is playing too big a role here.

[LawBeefaroni]

The formula helps determine whether consumers have positive, negative or neutral reactions to brands in their online messages.

All I see is that people "hate" Indians marketing campaigns more than Yankees marketing campaigns.

[The Meal]

As long as they use Chief Wahoo as their logo, I'll always be a closet fan. That's a seriously cool mascot.

[ImLawBoy]

As long as they use Chief Wahoo as their logo, I'll always be a closet fan. That's a seriously cool mascot.

I'm in the opposite camp. While I'm generally not one to make a big deal over racial imagery in sports teams, Chief Wahoo is so over the top racist (IMO) that I dislike the Indians for it. On the other hand, I don't have an issue with using the name "Indians". Flip that around, and I have no issues with the Washington Redskins logo, but I detest their team name (and the team because of it).

[LawBeefaroni]

[The Meal]

As long as they use Chief Wahoo as their logo, I'll always be a closet fan. That's a seriously cool mascot.

I'm in the opposite camp. While I'm generally not one to make a big deal over racial imagery in sports teams, Chief Wahoo is so over the top racist (IMO) that I dislike the Indians for it. On the other hand, I don't have an issue with using the name "Indians". Flip that around, and I have no issues with the Washington Redskins logo, but I detest their team name (and the team because of it).

I'm not a kind of guy to like counter-culture racism because he can get away with it (if you know what I mean), so I looked up arguments detailing the over-the-top racist elements of Chief Wahoo. A link from the Wikipedia page turned up this CSM article which supposedly lays out the arguments for racism in the logo. I read the article, but all I saw was that this logo is "bucktoothed." Everything else discussed elements of using Indians as the name, activities which used to take place in the crowd, comparison to the Black Sambo experience, etc. The one slam on the Chief Wahoo depiction was that he is bucktoothed.

I grew up in an area with a large Native American population. I never have heard "bucktoothed" used as an adjective (pejorative or otherwise) in describing Native Americans. On top of that, I don't see bucktoothism as a primary element of the logo (though maybe that's my shortcoming, as LawBeef's cartoon above implies).

Bucktooth, as I understand it, is projecting upper teeth. This logo shows large upper-and-lower teeth all on the same plane. So maybe it's a nomenclature issue with the CSM article? But I'm unaware (and again, maybe this is my shortcoming) that large-toothism is considered a negative Native American feature for which using in a caricature is inappropriate. (Clearly folks are telling me that it is, so I must be out of touch here.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Wahoo" target="_blank

Another article which seems to have more of an issue with a team named "Indians" than it does with their logo:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_le ... mlb,164637" target="_blank

And FWIW, I don't like "Redskins" as a team name, but I'm okay with "Indians" being one.

[BooTx]

To tell the truth, I’m not excited to go to Cleveland, but we have to. If I ever saw myself saying I’m excited going to Cleveland, I’d punch myself in the face, because I’m lying.

[El Guapo]

Of course, if "Redskins" is a problematic name, then wouldn't it be problematic that Chief Wahoo has, shall we say, unrealistically red skin?

I was wondering if this was why the Indians were #1. I still don't understand why the Reds and Astros would be #3 and #4 respectively, though, and ahead of the Yankees. Unless "Reds" is also an Indians reference, though I've never made that association.

[LawBeefaroni]

I don't think Cleveland fans or people that are OK with Wahoo are necessarily racists. But I do think it's a bit over the top myself.

In the image I posted, I can see all 4 characters being in a Saturday morning cartoon without much public outrage. Not that that makes anything better or worse, but I think it's the combination of the logo and the name "Indians". I didn't get the furor over the Hurons. I do get it over the Indians.

[Kelric]

The Reds are the Reds because their players wore red socks in the 1800s - they were the Red Stockings. Then a bunch of 'em jumped ship to Boston and took the Red Stockings name with them, with the franchise eventually becoming the Beaneaters and then the Braves.

[triggercut]

I think some of you are missing a bit of important info here

Because the survey measures brand reaction in online messaging, that online messaging is going out primarily to people by region. When I signed up for MLB.TV, any promo emails I received were Nats-related. Buy tickets for a Cardinals/Nats game, and you get yourself into double-promo email jeopardy. They *really* think you're a Nats fan then.

So...I think what this really measures is a few things. Firstly, it measures how fans in a market may feel about their local/regional team. No surprise that Tribe fans were pissed after the team failed to live up to the promise it seemed to offer after the 2007 season, and selling off CC and dumping other players in 2008/2009 didn't help. I think you see that with the Astros and Reds and Nats in the survey too. Otherwise, you've got a few teams that may be hitting large regions of transplanted fans of other teams (like the Dodgers, maybe) and Boston (Lotta Yankee fans may be getting online messaging for buying tix online to games in Fenway).

[LawBeefaroni]

The Reds are the Reds because their players wore red socks in the 1800s - they were the Red Stockings. Then a bunch of 'em jumped ship to Boston and took the Red Stockings name with them, with the franchise eventually becoming the Beaneaters and then the Braves.

They were the Redlegs for a while after they were the Reds too. For like a decade or less. Don't remember exactly when but I think it was so they wouldn't be considered communists.

Still, it doesn't clear up why they're #3. Again, looking at the formula details, it has less to do with a team's reputation or name and more with their online marketing/branding campaigns.

Cleveland's current campaign is "Are You In the Tribe?" Don't know what the Reds' is.

[triggercut]

The Reds are the Reds because their players wore red socks in the 1800s - they were the Red Stockings. Then a bunch of 'em jumped ship to Boston and took the Red Stockings name with them, with the franchise eventually becoming the Beaneaters and then the Braves.

They were the Redlegs for a while after they were the Reds too. For like a decade or less. Don't remember exactly when but I think it was so they wouldn't be considered communists.

Still, it doesn't clear up why they're #3. Again, looking at the formula details, it has less to do with a team's reputation or name and more with their online marketing/branding campaigns.

Cleveland's current campaign is "Are You In the Tribe?" Don't know what the Reds' is.

If you sign up for MLB.TV or the Digital Extra Innings package, you get emails by region based on whatever team is in your region. I would imagine that:

1. The old Reds regime that flew white flags throughout the last decade as an excuse to sell off players alienated fans in that region, and
2. There are a lot of Cubs and Cardinal fans in that area, and because those teams are division rivals....

I dunno.

[Scuzz]

They must have polled people in New York...........it's the only reason the Yankees don't top the list. Who the hell hates the Indians and Reds?

[SpaceLord]

As 1/8th Creek/Cherokee, I am OUTRAGED.

Ok, not really.

[Remus West]

I don't think Cleveland fans or people that are OK with Wahoo are necessarily racists. But I do think it's a bit over the top myself.

In the image I posted, I can see all 4 characters being in a Saturday morning cartoon without much public outrage. Not that that makes anything better or worse, but I think it's the combination of the logo and the name "Indians". I didn't get the furor over the Hurons. I do get it over the Indians.

I am still annoyed by EMU dropping the Hurons. The friggin tribe said they were fine with it but the area PC idiots got the university to cave to their demands.

[Jeff V]

They must have polled people in New York...........it's the only reason the Yankees don't top the list. Who the hell hates the Indians and Reds?

Some of us still hold the state of Ohio responsible for Bush's second term.

But I wouldn't express my disgust by lashing out against the Indians (who I've always been ambivalent towards) or the Reds (who I've always kind of liked). Since neither team has done a whole lot in recent years, it's hard to imagine anyone voting for either team.

Unless the poll was something along the lines of "50,000 people in Cleveland and Cincinnati were asked to vote on their most hated baseball team." Then the results make sense.

[theohall]

I hate the Red Sox and Yankees more for dominating East Coast Saturday afternoon National broadcasts on Fox when there are more than two teams, including a bunch of National League teams, that also play on the East Coast. I'm actually shocked when it is actually possible to watch a Cardinals game on Fox while living on the East Coast.

[naednek]

I just want to stop by and say, GO GIANTS

[theohall]

I just want to stop by and say, GO GIANTS

The past weekend series between the Cards and Giants was nuts. How does a team only score 3 runs (Cardinals) over an entire weekend and still manage to win one of the three games?

[Scuzz]

I just want to stop by and say, GO GIANTS

as a Dodger fan I hate the Giants................

[Sarkus]

I have to question the methodology used. It has to be as Triggercut notes, because a team that sucked from 1954 to 1994 and then had five years of good teams is not going to top the list of "hated" baseball teams from a national perspective.

I'm guessing whoever designed the "survey" is a Yankee fan trying to deflect the real hatred away from that team.

[Jaymann]

The Reds are the Reds because their players wore red socks in the 1800s - they were the Red Stockings. Then a bunch of 'em jumped ship to Boston and took the Red Stockings name with them, with the franchise eventually becoming the Beaneaters and then the Braves.

They were the Redlegs for a while after they were the Reds too. For like a decade or less. Don't remember exactly when but I think it was so they wouldn't be considered communists.

Still, it doesn't clear up why they're #3. Again, looking at the formula details, it has less to do with a team's reputation or name and more with their online marketing/branding campaigns.

Cleveland's current campaign is "Are You In the Tribe?" Don't know what the Reds' is.

"We will bury you!"?

[LawBeefaroni]

"We will bury you!"?

[GungHo]

I thought it was interesting, but totally predictable, that the Rangers finished right in the middle. i.e. no one cares about you and no one hates you. In fact we barely register your existence.

Followed closely by 'When does training camp start?'

The Texas Rangers = amateur sports' worst run organization....38 years and counting.

[El Guapo]

"We will bury you!"?

I love it. It would really rock if they went all the way with that theme and say, passed out Soviet flags for people to wave during rallies. And instead of an Indian chant like the Braves, people could sing part of "the internationale".

And it would add a great rivalry if the Reds and Nationals were ever good at the same time.

[LawBeefaroni]

[Jaymann]

Looks like they will be changing their name after the 2021 season.

While the team has announced it is dropping the Indians name, it is unclear when a new name will be in place. Dolan did say, however, it won't be until after the 2021 season at the earliest.

The Cleveland Baseball Team?

[Holman]

Since Cleveland is home to the R&R Hall of Fame, I've seen people suggest The Cleveland Rocks.

I think it kind of works.

[dbt1949]

The Cleveland Cowboys.

[stimpy]

Since Cleveland is home to the R&R Hall of Fame, I've seen people suggest The Cleveland Rocks.

I think it kind of works.

I've heard complaints that it's too similar to Rockies.

[The Meal]

Looks like they will be changing their name after the 2021 season.

While the team has announced it is dropping the Indians name, it is unclear when a new name will be in place. Dolan did say, however, it won't be until after the 2021 season at the earliest.

The Cleveland Baseball Team?

CBT? (Don't google it.)

[Isgrimnur]

Not with Safe Search turned off, anyway.

[LawBeefaroni]

Disappointed.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

As for the baseball team, Cleveland Rocks is cheesy as all getout but I'm down.

I'd propose Cleveland River Fire myself though.

[hepcat]

My favorite replacement name is the Cleveland Certain Ethnics.

It’s an inside joke amongst Clevelanders. In that area is a large Polish population. During the 70s and up until only about 10 years ago, “Big” Chuck Schodowdki was a late night TV movie host who embraced the insults of Polish jokes by remaking them as skits, but featuring “certain ethnic” in place of Polish. He’s a beloved character of that region.

Although I doubt the attempt to make that the name will get off the ground.

[Hrdina]

Disappointed.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

As for the baseball team, Cleveland Rocks is cheesy as all getout but I'm down.

I'd propose Cleveland River Fire myself though.

A "few" years, my group of friends put together a league in a sports-based board game. My friend's team was the Cleveland Sludge. They were originally the Oakland Sludge, but the team relocated after a couple of seasons.

I bet if the Cleveland Baseball Team slipped my friend ten bucks he would let them use the name.

[Jaymann]

They could go gangsta and become:

The Fellowship of the Bling

[Jaymann]

The Cleveland Neutral Team!

[Scuzz]

The Cleveland Honkies?

The White Trash?

[LawBeefaroni]