Two diehard Atlanta Braves fans from Augusta, Georgia, are lighting a fire under the franchise — and not just metaphorically. Brothers Marty and Chris Buccafusco are rallying a movement that’s part name-change campaign, part tribute to the city’s indomitable spirit, and all love for Atlanta baseball.
Their Pitch to the Atlanta Braves and the City
Rename the Braves to the Bravest and honor Atlanta’s firefighters while phasing out increasingly controversial Native American imagery. To be clear, we do not support this change and are just reporting what is going on.
This isn’t just a name swap. It’s a carefully crafted cultural pivot. According to their website, the brothers started the “Bravest ATL” campaign out of growing discomfort with the team’s current branding. They are particularly focusing on the tomahawk chant and logo, which they argue perpetuate harmful stereotypes about Native Americans.
Their shift in thinking didn’t happen overnight. Like many lifelong fans, the Buccafuscos were raised on the ritual of the chop, but as they brought a new generation into the fold, the tradition didn’t sit quite the same. The love was still there — the culture, not so much.
Their proposal isn’t just about retiring a controversial symbol. It’s about replacing it with something just as powerful—and arguably more personal to the city’s legacy: fire, resilience, and rebirth.
From Sherman’s destructive march in 1864 to the devastating Great Fire of 1917, Atlanta has burned and rebuilt itself like a phoenix — literally, the bird is on the city seal. The “Bravest” name, they say, would honor that spirit, with a firefighter’s ax replacing the tomahawk in the logo.
They’ve even launched a merch line to support the cause, with all proceeds going to firefighters and first responders. That’s more than just branding — that’s a mission.
While the Atlanta Braves organization has made gestures toward Native American communities—dialing down the chop, increasing outreach—they haven’t budged on the name. Not yet.
Local Media Attention is Growing
But with growing media attention from FOX 5 Atlanta, WABE, and a campaign that’s clearly got legs, the Buccafusco brothers might be stoking something bigger than just a name debate. They’re tapping into a deeper identity — one that asks Atlanta fans to choose love over legacy, resilience over ritual, and maybe, just maybe, a fire ax over a tomahawk.
The Braves haven’t changed their name since 1941. Could “Bravest” be the next chapter? Time will tell, but we seriously doubt it. But you never know what might rise next in a city built from ashes.
