The Indians this season may have to "wrestle increasingly" with the issue of their Chief Wahoo logo, as MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is "beginning to apply a little bit of pressure on the club to come up with a plan of action," according to David Waldstein of the N.Y. TIMES. Manfred is in "continuing discussions with the team's ownership." MLB Chief Communications Officer Pat Courtney said that Manfred in his talks with the Indians’ owners "had made clear his 'desire to transition away from the Chief Wahoo logo.'" Courtney’s statement "appears to be the first time that Manfred is identified as having staked out a clear position on the issue." But it is an issue that "may not be that easy to resolve." There is a "significant segment of the Indians’ fan base that still cherishes the logo, which has existed in various forms" since '47. The Indians would "prefer to address Chief Wahoo after the season to avoid any distractions that could alienate a large swath of fans while games are being played." Indians Senior VP/Public Affairs Bob DiBiasio said, "Our primary focus right now is on the team." DiBiasio added that the club "has already sold 1.3 million tickets" for the '17 season and it "did not reach that mark until the end of July last year." At last night's White Sox-Indians game at Progressive Field, the Chief Wahoo logo "could not be seen" anywhere on the ballpark building or "on the field, but it was on the left sleeves of the blue jerseys worn by the Indians players and on their caps." The logo could "also be found on many items in the team souvenir shop" (NYTIMES.com, 4/12).
