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The Texas Rangers were the only team in MLB that did not celebrate Pride Month with a purpose-built “Pride Night”. This has led many to wonder why the team made this somewhat unusual decision.
With June being Pride Month, nearly every team in MLB took a one-night stand to honor the LGBT community and praise the social progress that has been made in the field.
While the MLB organization is very accommodating with the celebrations, as it is with nearly all major league teams, some players have expressed disagreement with the Pride Night celebrations.
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Toronto Blue Jays forward Anthony Bass was released by his team just days after he shared anti-LGBTQ content on his personal Instagram page, while Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw has spoken out against his team’s occasion.
“The Texas Rangers are the only major league baseball team that refuses to give in to pressure and publicly defines a ‘pride night.’” – Kambree
However, in an apparent effort to fiddle with the controversy all together, the Texas Rangers were the only team in baseball not to schedule an LGBT celebration at their home stadium.
According to the team’s Chief Operating Officer Neil Lippmann, the team wanted to support the LGBT community in a tangible way, while maintaining an element of neutrality in what has become, unfortunately, a somewhat political issue. According to the Los Angeles Times, the team issued a statement saying:
“Our commitment is to make everyone feel welcome and a part of the Rangers baseball team. That means on our ballpark, at every game, and in everything we do – for both our fans and our employees.”
The Texas Rangers hosted Pride Night in 2003. Needless to say, it garnered a wildly unpopular response from attendees that it hadn’t been scheduled for twenty years.
With a record of 44-27, the Texas Rangers currently lead the AL West, by 4.5 games over the Los Angeles Angels. Being one of the major teams in the league right now, generating controversy or endorsements for any particular cause doesn’t seem high on the agenda.
The Texas Rangers’ decision may be a reflection of a more conservative fanbase
While Pride Knights at ballparks in California or New York might actually attract crowd support, if 2003 taught us anything, it was that Rangers fans might prefer their team stick to baseball. Either way, the league did a good job this June of making everyone feel engaged in the sport.
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