MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred met with Indians Chair & CEO Paul Dolan and Vice Chair John Sherman on Friday to "discuss the team's Chief Wahoo logo," according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. Manfred said, "I want those conversations to continue and I think we'll produce a result that will be good for the Indians and good for baseball. But what exactly that is I don't want to speculate" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 1/28). Cleveland-based WTAM-AM's Nick Camino said, “Now that you've seen the Indians take the block ‘C’ logo and make it the primary logo for the franchise, you've sort of seen them begin the phasing out of Chief Wahoo." ESPN's Bob Ley replied, "I know they've done away with their alternate jersey for 2017, but still each jersey will have the logo on it and the home hats will have Chief Wahoo on there. So does that represent a phasing out?” Camino: “The fact that they made the block ‘C’ the primary logo is already beginning to slowly phase it out." He added Indians ownership has “got a real good feel" on the issue and said they have "handled it perfectly." Camino: "Maybe by the 2019 All-Star Game, we won't even see it" ("OTL," ESPN, 1/27).
UNDER THE LIGHTS: In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps reports Progressive Field is "adding LED lights" as part of a $2.1M project that will be completed prior to the start of the '17 season. Sources said that the Indians are one of six MLB teams that are "adding LED field lights" in '17. Indians Senior Dir of Facility Operations Seth Cooper said that the project, which is being funded by Cuyahoga County's tax on alcohol and cigarettes, "started in December." Progressive Field's 674 light fixtures -- all of which have been taken down -- "used 1,500-watt metal halide bulbs." Cooper said that once the project, which is about 60% complete, is "finished, the ballpark will have 456 1,000-watt LED fixtures" (CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, 1/30 issue). Also in Cleveland, Terry Pluto wrote Progressive Field is "still a wonderful place to watch a game." The Dolan family, which owns the club, deserves "a lot of credit for that." The Dolans have "worked hard with the city and county to keep the ballpark in good shape." In the last few years, the Indians put about $37M "worth of improvements into the stadium" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 1/28).
