Credit: Ben Peters
The Cleveland Spiders, designed by Ben Peters, is your winner in Scene’s Redesign the Tribe competition.

We conceived the competition as a fun, practical way to continue the conversation about a name and logo change for the Cleveland Indians. That conversation arrived, aggressively, on our radar after the scorn and derision from the national media who were responding to Chief Wahoo’s prominence during the 2016 MLB Playoffs.

(For the record — though most of our readers are aware —we’ve been railing against Chief Wahoo for years.)

The conversation about Chief Wahoo is one that Indians’ owner Paul Dolan has now reportedly had with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. And while no announcements have been made, we’re excited about the possibilities for change.

With all that in mind, we invited local designers to submit their ideas in our contest.

We whittled down the submissions to a Top-40 and presented them to voters at Redesignthetribe.com. After the allotted voting period, the top five vote-getting designs were as follows:

1) Guardians, by Tim Schifle
2) Arrows, by Mark Godale
3) Tribe, by Matt Jeffries
4) Spiders, by Ben Peters
5) Sentinels, by Christian Colbert

We presented those five designs to our voting panel (and voted ourselves) to determine our winners. Each judge was asked to rank the designs from 1 to 5. The first-place vote would be given five points, the second place vote would be given four points, etc. Pretty simple.  The results are as follows:

1st) Spiders – 19
2nd) Tribe – 13
3rd) Guardians – 12
4th) Sentinels – 11
5th) Arrows – 5

PANEL RESULTS
CRAIG CALCATERRA
RANKINGS:
1. Spiders (5 pts.)
2. Tribe (4 pts.)
3. Guardians (3 pts.)
4. Sentinels (2 pts.)
5. Arrows (1 pt.)

THOUGHTS: I’m on record saying that Spiders is not the best idea because (a) there is really no connection between that franchise and the one which became the Indians; and (b) looking forward is always better than looking backward. I decided, however, that design should be the top consideration, and the Spiders kit looks the best of all five.

Beyond that: I think the Tribe design is pretty spiffy, but I worry that keeping with anything Native American-inspired is a bit problematic. Maybe if there was some buy-in and blessing from Tribal leaders I would change my mind. Same goes for Arrows, but it’s further down the list because I don’t like the execution as much. As for the Sentinels/Guardians: I’m a little freaked out by those dudes on the bridge. Every time I drive over it I feel like they’re gonna come to life like some monster in “Doctor Who” or like the Engineers in “Prometheus.” I don’t need that kind of nightmare fuel in my baseball, thanks.

Craig Calcaterra, originally from New Albany, Ohio, is the lead baseball writer for NBC Sports.  (@craigcalcaterra)

LIZ MAUGANS:
Rankings:
1) Spiders (5 pts.)
2) Sentinels (4 pts.)
3) Tribe (3 pts.)
4) Arrows (2 pts.)
5) Guardians (1 pt.)

Thoughts: The Spiders had the best design and concept. I liked how it traced our early pre-Indians history through its name and liked the opportunity to absolutely rebrand the Cleveland team with completely new directions. I also liked this about the Sentinel and its connection to the Hope Memorial Guardians. The design was very “super hero” and strangely meta-Indian-like with the feathers and could be quasi-Chief Wahoo-esque. But the spiders really got me caught up in the web of fun marketing possibilities.

Liz Maugans is the co-founder and executive director of Zygote Press, Cleveland’s fine-art printmaking workshop. She has been a recipient of the Cleveland Arts Prize and the Creative Workforce Fellowship.

PETER PATTAKOS:
Rankings:
1. Spiders (5 pts.)
2. Tribe (4 pts.)
3. Guardians (3 pts.)
4. Sentinels (2 pts)
5. Arrows (1 pt)

Thoughts: You have to get the name right before you can focus on the design, and to me, Tribe and Spiders are the only two names of these five that are workable. The Guardians (or Sentinels) of Traffic are cool and all, but we’re just talking about statues on a bridge here with no real back-story, and I don’t suppose vehicular traffic should be a point of civic pride, anyway.

I’d have ranked the Tribe first if the design weren’t Native-American themed. A design that would have reflected an all-inclusive “Tribe” would have been great. Which leaves us with the Spiders, as talented a creature and as skilled a hunter as there is in the animal kingdom, also with a Cleveland connection and underrepresented as a mascot in the sports world.

Pattakos, a longtime friend of Scene’s, blogs and tweets as @ClevelandFrowns and wrote the definitive “Curse of Chief Wahoo” piece for Scene, in 2012.

SCENE
Rankings
1) Guardians (5 pts.)
2) Spiders (4 pts.)
3) Sentinels (3 pts.)
4) Tribe (2 pts.)
5) Arrows (1 pts.)

Thoughts: We’ll start by saying that the variety and professionalism of the initial submissions both surprised and delighted us. The top five vote getters do not necessarily reflect our personal favorites. We’d like to mention the submissions by Gary Bostwick (The Industrials) and by Chris Giorgio (The Inventors), which represented to us the most original and fully realized work in the competition.

Of the finalists, we selected Tim Schifle’s Guardians as our top choice, in large part because of its execution. The concept itself was articulated as an homage to the Indians and multiple design elements (including an alternate jersey and alternate uniforms) were presented. In truth, we prefer “Sentinels” as a name — Guardians keeps the “-ians” of Indians, but let’s face it; it’s a milquetoast moniker; might as well be “Stewards” or “Executors” or “Babysitters.” The Sentinels’ primary logo, as presented by Christian Colbert, was a little busy for our tastes. We like the away unis quite a bit though.

The Tribe and Arrows entries — in particular, the crisp submission by Matt Jeffries — were slick and well-executed. But like other panelists, we think there’s value in a new name and logo that distances itself from Native American themes and imagery, even though we recognize that images like the feather are well-intentioned.

The other panelists have said enough about Spiders, but we’re certainly on board.

This article appears in Feb 1-7, 2017.

Sam Allard is a former senior writer at Scene.

29 replies on “Scene Announces Winners in #RedesigntheTribe Contest”

  2. If it wasn’t for us finally winning a championship I always wanted to embrace the name the “Cleveland Curse”

  3. I liked the one that had moses cleaveland as the new version of chief wahoo. the rest of the submission wasn’t so great, but i think using wahoo in a different way was cool and avoided controversy

  4. I do like the Spiders design by itself, but I don’t like the idea of completely rebranding the entire franchise to the point of changing colors and even replacing the non-Native American inspired designs, like the Cleveland C. It feels like we’d just be throwing away the team that we’ve known for so long altogether and replacing it with a completely new one. I think such drastic changes would make very devastating blows to the Cleveland MLB franchise through its fanbase (or resulting lack thereof). People aren’t going to leave their current loyalties for a brand new franchise, including their loyalty to the current franchise. I don’t think an entirely new brand will attract people, but instead push people away.

  5. Every person who took the time to submit a design should be saluted. The Los Angeles Chargers should have contacted one of the top five for rebranding ideas — since the franchise suffered an epic failure with its initial generic concept.

  6. I live in the southwestern part of the country and am 1/4 Native American and I can tell you I wear my Tribe gear to include my Chief WaHoo ball cap with pride especially when I make my yearly pilgrimage to catch some games in Cleveland, My friends (some being Natives) could care less about the logo! If you look at those that are upset about Chief WaHoo the majority of them aren’t even Native American they’re just folks like the author’s of this contest, with just to much time on their hands! Any disrespectful references towards Native American culture has long since been wiped out and is just Baseball now get over it I Did Keep Chief WaHoo!

  7. Sorry Cleveland Baseball fans, Great game, but the Chicago CUBS WON THE WORLD SERIES! By the way, because your owner the Dolan family, and many of you fans for that matter, won’t change the racist name and mascot of your baseball team after 4 owners now have said NO WAY ! As Clyde Bellicourt ( American Indian Movement and Commitee of 500 years of Dignity and Resistance) said back in the 1990s “Until you change this racist name and mascot and apologize for your shame all these many years, YOU WILLL NEVER WIN THE WORLD SERIES”….just as you didn’t in 1990s, so to again on November 2nd, 2016….NEVER !

    Russel Means (RIP) and the Committee of 500 Yer of Dignity and resistence started telling this team and their owner back in the 1970s and many others Native American People who live in Cleveland, the suburbs and from across this country…It is not an honor, it dehumanizing and racist……..You ignored their pleas to change it !

    Russel and Clyde are smiling down from heaven today telling you once again they meant what they said Mr. Dolan back in 1990s when the told the Jacob brothers and the Cleveland baseball management then! And through these past several years after your father bought the team too! Though you all through EGO and Pride said “What racism and Harm” “It’s meant to honor you”! Well it didn’t back in 1970s and it still doesn’t in 2017!

    As is always said, ” there always next year” right ! Though again, until you change this dishonorable and racist name and mascot, YOU WILL NEVER WIN A WORLD SERIES, NEVER EVER! Like the saying goes “sometimes to be a bridesmaid, never to be the bride”

    Do the honorable thing already and change this racist name and mascot, it has been and still is way past due. Does your multi-millionaire Dolan family have no shame? Haven’t you made enough money off of all these offensive and racist baseball apparel, hats, banners, bobbleheads and other assorted paraphernalia?

    Honor yourself Mr. Dolan and your family’s name and change the name and logo and Mascot before the next baseball season and who knows…you might just WIN the World Series !
    Share

  8. I like it! Spiders like in SpiderMan and the author of SpiderMan is from Cleveland! Chief Wahoo is my favorite though 🙂

  9. I’m in total agreement with you,as I posted many times that it would be genius in marketing especially if we could get Marvel involved ,”maybe part ownership in the team I think then maybe it would put us in a league with the Yankees,as far as advertisement

  12. Put down the pipe, Britney. You’re confused. Spider-Man originated with Stan Lee, who just turned 94 in December. He’s a New Yorker, born and bred. No connection whatsoever to Cleveland.

    You probably meant that other S-word, as in Superman, whose creators were both Cleveland natives.But hey, at least you got the first letter right. Right? Nice try. Thanks for participating.

    The whole Spiders thing came from the long-legged and lanky appearance of some of the Cleveland ballplayers of 125 years ago. That’s it. Nothing else.

    And they stunk…REALLY stunk…they went 20-134 in their final season. THAT is worth honoring with a new name? And a stupid logo? THAT is the winning entry? Gimme a break.

    Why not just honor the 1944 East Ohio Gas Fire and call them the Flames, for chrissakes?
    Or the Explos? Has a nice ring to it.

    Spiders…a terrible idea in a terrible contest with terrible winning entries.
    Jeeze…maybe they could even have a web site…snort…

    Chuckles the Clown

  13. Chucky – The Spiders had Cy Young! THAT is worth honoring. Then again, “Spiders” doesn’t HAVE to “honor” anything. It could just be a new start. Who cares if they stunk, as you so aptly mention, it was 125 years ago! Let’s see what you can design Chucky. And don’t use an existing NHL team’s name. Your post is a terrible idea.

  14. Lou, Lou, LOU…why would I want to use an NHL team’s name and call them the Cleveland Blackhawks? What I DID suggest was doing something similar to that team’s LOGO…the best one in professional sports. Use your imagination.

    I am no graphic artist or graphic designer. Go find one of your own. Try my ex-wife. She’s good. She’s still in Chicago.

    But you know what, Lou? You’ve got spunk. I HATE spunk!

    Chuckles the Clown

  15. Chucky, Chucky, Chucky… I don’t KNOW why you want to use an NHL team’s name (“CALL them the Flames”). That’s between you and Ted Baxter. Flames logo the best in pro sports? I’d say it one of the worst. I dont have to find a designer of my own because am one and I DID use my imagination in designing the winning logo to this contest. Put some seltzer down your pants, Chucky.

  16. Go fornicate yourself, LOU…the Flames was a sick joke…I was talking about the Blackhawks logo…and you know it. If you didn’t, you do now. Or are you really that stupid?

    So you won. Big fucking deal. What do you get for it? Another line and bullet point on your goddamned resume? Do you get anything you can take to the bank?

    No, clown…all you get is psychic income…and if you don’t know what that means, go look it up, shmuck.

    Your design sucks, and you suck, too. The SCENE is once again beating this dead-horse issue of Wahoo into dog food and glue, same as they do every winter, because the off-season is a slow period and they always run out of causes at this time of year. February and March are the bottom of the abyss around here.You won. Wahoo for you, pal. Be proud of your silly Spiders creation… be really, really proud.

    The Chief will be around long after it’s officially “killed off” because stubborn die-hards like me will continue to wear it on the streets of Cleveland for the next twenty years, and wherever else we feel like displaying it.

    Unless they bar me from The Jake and threaten me with arrest, I will also wear it to games as often as possible. Ask the good old boys Down Souf…the more someone tried to take their evil flag away, the tighter they clung to it and wrapped themselves in the folds of the Lost Cause.

    Wahoo will literally have to be be torn off my cold, dead back if the organization bans it.
    Mainly because of SCENE and the PD and asshats like you. That’s just the way I am.

    Chuckles the Clown

  17. Chucky, Chucky, Chucky…. resorting to name calling? Anger management issues… go hang out with Charles Oakley. And yes, I did get something more than psychic income I can take to the bank, so you’re wrong again. I think you may have psychotic in-come. Yes, I am proud. And you can just stick to red-faced logos and calling people names… they do kind of go hand in hand.

  18. Psychotic? And you’re accusing ME of name-calling? And you can’t even use ONE “anonymous” name or bother to register at this site with a legitimate username?

    You can keep using as many “anonymous” handles as you wish, but that appears to be YOUR REAL NAME in the first sentence of this story. You won a major award in a major contest, so you are now no longer some nameless graphic artist.

    A little heads-up: Cleveland is not New York or Chicago. Cleveland is a fairly small town. Business and social circles overlap to a degree that they do not in bigger places. If you continue to act like an asshat on this site, the word (and your name) will surely get around. And reputation plays a large role in your business.

    So you need to chill, keep calm, step away from the keyboard, and go buy a six-pack of craft beet with that twenty bucks. Call up all your friends and give each of them a beer.You’ve earned it. You’re a legend in your own mind. And keep being proud…be very, very proud.

    Chuckles the Clown

  19. Chucky, you fell for it. I pretended to be the winner. I don’t live in Cleveland.
    Clown and schmuck are names (there’s a “c” in schmuck), psychosis is a condition.

  20. How long do you want to play this game, asshole? I eat jamokes like you for lunch.Every name you have used so far has been reported and will eventually be removed. You are a spammer and a troll. SCENE does not care for spammers and trolls who contaminate their site.

    Are you One Of The Tribe? Obviously not, SHMUCK, as you would know it can be spelled either way…

    I will be here long after you and all of your names are history and your IP is blocked, SHMUCK.

    Again…how long do you want to play?

    Chuckles the Clown

  21. Clown, schmuck, a-hole… you’re not exhibiting any skill in the art of mature, adult conversation, hence, I won’t try to partake in one with you anymore. So long Chucky, it wasn’t nice knowing you.

  22. Last word is yours, Mister Grant. Go for it. I know you will. Your kind always does.
    Now go play nice and bang Sue Ann. on your lunch hour. Toodles!

    Chuckles the Clown

  23. I would be interested in buying apparel with Ben Peters’ design, Is it available? Will Scene help make it happen? Lots of people showing up around town wearing this stuff could force the issue.

  26. Hey, I’m a guy and I don’t like spiders, but that wouldn’t stop me from wanting to wear a spider if it were a cool rendition, like a mascot sleeve logo on a jersey. Or, the graphic of the Spider could be re-drawn to be more like a friendly cartoon version, just like Baltimore’s Oriole, Milwaukee’s Barrelman, or New York’s Mr. Met. That should make you like it more. Also, tho you might not “like” spiders because you might be “afraid” of them, you do want to “scare” your opponent also. “Tribe” is sort of a logical progression from Indians, but it is kind of too generic and not really something you can grab onto or translate into a logo very easily and make it marketable or have much sale-ability. It’s kind of like Minnesota “Wild” which doesn’t rate very high in NHL jersey sales. “Blackhawks” sells!

  27. Keep Chief Wahoo and keep the name “Indians”. If the first one falls due to SJW pressure the second will fall also. Let Manfred keep his All-Star game and we will keep our traditional name and logo.

    I didn’t draw a logo but if the management does decide to cave in to SJW pressure, I’d call them the Cleveland Cannons after the Cleveland Grays Armory and the 10,000+ men and women Cuyahoga County sent to fight in the Civil War. (Also, the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument is downtown on Public Square.) We have on display in our city the first captured Confederate cannon of the entire Civil War, at the Grays Armory.

    If one wanted to be spiteful about losing Chief Wahoo, we could change the name to the Cleveland Cavalry and have a redesigned Wahoo face be instead a smiling US Cavalryman standing atop a dead Indian. (Think of all the parodies that have been published with the Chief redrawn as other ethnicities). Now THERE is something the SJW crowd could REALLY get all worked up about lol (The last paragraph was tongue-in-cheek, I do NOT really advocate this course of action.)

  28. Given I’m not a fan of the team and they won’t name them the Losers or the Chokers I must say I prefer the Spiders to all of them. I don’t like the use of bland pronouns and adjectives to describe teams like the force or the wave. Spiders allows interesting uniform design and a insect people actually fear without getting every known political group camping out at your front door.

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