Ethnic Names Causing Controversy: Are the Chiefs next?

In the wake of a nation-wide social justice movement, sports franchises like the Cleveland Indians, the Washington Redskins and the Kansas City Chiefs have reconsidered the meaning and history behind their team names out of respect to the American Indian community.

On Jul. 13, Dan Snyder — owner of the five time conference and three time Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins — issued a press release announcing the retirement of the Redskins name and logo.

The decision came shortly after the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor killings, which sparked a social justice movement causing many businesses, sports teams and other entities to reconsider their branding to achieve a more equal and just society — free of hate and division. 

The sudden but long awaited change prompted the Kansas City Chiefs to reflect and respond to the controversy about their name.

The name ‘Chiefs’ was adopted in 1963, inspired by then-Kansas City Mayor Harold Roe Bartle, despite him not sharing any American Indian heritage. He was nicknamed “Chief” after becoming the chief area executive of the Boy Scouts at the time. 

On Aug. 20, the Chiefs released a statement outlining the continuing efforts the organization is taking part in to better understand the American Indian community, and the importance and value of their history and culture. In 2016, the Kansas City Chiefs collaborated with the American Indian Community Working Group to serve as a collective liaison with the Native community and as an advisor to the Chiefs to promote an awareness and understanding of Native cultures and tribes in the region.

While the idea of moving away from the ‘Chiefs’ name was not part of the statement, the organization adopted new rules for the 2020 football season — a ban of wearing headdresses and American Indian themed face paint to games and events at Arrowhead Stadium.

Mary Van Ryzin, a former East parent who is more than 50% American Indian, doesn’t believe the Chiefs need to change their name, but is not opposed to the possibility. 

“I’m truly not offended [by the Chief’s name] but if people want to change it, I’m okay with that too,” Van Ryzin said. “[Fans] can pay tribute to the Kansas City football team, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be [wearing] the headdresses. They don’t need that.”

Nora Van Ryzin, Mary’s daughter who graduated from East in 2013, shares a similar view, but believes other people of American Indian descent could have different opinions.

“I’m sure other indigenous people that aren’t [Chiefs] fans could have more of a different view than we do,” Nora said. 

Another tradition ingrained in the Kansas City Chiefs culture is the tomahawk chop, a ritual derived from a hypothetical Native American chopping down motion which is performed every time the Chiefs take the field. Along with “the chop” is the beating of the drum, which is played on the ‘Arrowhead Drum Deck’ before kickoff at every home game. Both of these traditions have been widely questioned because some believe they are insensitive to American Indians and the sacredness of their culture.

78% of East students believe the defending Super Bowl Champions should not change their name, according to an Instagram poll of 307 votes.

Junior August Hyde favors the call for the franchise changing their name and has spoken to numerous indigenous people about this issue who feel the Chiefs are a misrepresentation of American Indian culture.

“I’ve [heard Natives] say they feel like the way the issue is represented as keeping the tradition alive, but it is not interpreted that way by them,” Hyde said. 

Hyde also believes it is important to understand the history and value of Native Americans in the country, and the Kansas City Chiefs culture and tradition oversees that.

“[The American Indian community] is made into a mascot, and feels very disrespectful and disregards all the history of violence between white people and indigenous people,” Hyde said.

In the event of a name change, the Chiefs would have to do a complete rebranding and halt the production of team merchandise. This would hurt the organization financially according to Brian Johnston, the Kansas City Chiefs former Corporate Partnership Sales Manager of nine years.

Johnston believes there won’t be a name change or rebrand, and the team’s impact on the American Indian community is rather positive.

“The Chiefs have done an outstanding job with the Native American community,” Johnston said. “They have done a tremendous job reaching out to them and listening to their concerns and needs.”

The Chiefs have numerous corporate sponsors that could potentially cut ties with the franchise if they don’t make a formal name change, which aligns with what FedEx, the stadium naming rights sponsor for the Redskins threatened.

“I don’t think [the Chiefs] partners would have that much influence [on a name change],” Johnston said. “Although I’m sure the Chiefs would sit down and listen to them.”

In regards to the certain measures the Chiefs have taken like banning headdresses and American Indian themed face paint, Johnston believes “It’s a step in the right direction.”

While the long-term direction of the franchise remains unpredictable, the Kansas City community can expect to continue calling their home team the Chiefs for the foreseeable future.