The Texas Rangers are the only major league team without a Pride Night and faced scrutiny on Monday for a lack of festivities.
The last Pride Night the organization held was in 2003 and was met with immense backlash. Various LGBTQ+ groups were invited to the stadium and honored, and protests were not long in coming.
As the Los Angeles Dodgers came under scrutiny over how the organization handled its Pride Night festivities, current and former employees of the Rangers organization spoke out about the team.
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A general view of Globe Life Field during a game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees at Globe Life Field on April 27, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)
«(The silence) is deafening,» a former employee told The Athletic. «The fact of the matter is that it’s a free marketing opportunity, it doesn’t cost them anything personally, and they can increase revenue by looking inclusive. The fact that there hasn’t been one (for Texas) is the ‘biggest action.’ louder than words I’ve ever seen.»
The former employee added that it was a «minimal thing.»
«The fact that there is so much resistance is a huge point of contention, not just for gays, but for everyone,» the former employee said. «It was always something that bothered me a lot about the organization. They do a lot of things right, where they have all these other nights for different fans and different cultures. The fact that they leave out a group is clearly just ridiculous.»
A current Rangers employee who is gay told The Athletic they believed it all starts at the top of the organization with team owner Ray Davis.
PIRATES PROMOTE TOP PROSPECT HENRY DAVIS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SIX-GAME LOSING STREAK
A general view of the Texas Rangers logo is seen in the spikes of Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung during a Major League Baseball regular season game between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers on May 29, 2023 in Comerica Park in Detroit. (Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
«When you have someone so opposed at the top, it creates this spillover effect that, even though I think most of the organization wants it to happen, or at least doesn’t vehemently oppose it, it’s just this dark cloud that means it’s okay to treat this group of people like s—,» the person said.
Rangers were in the spotlight over the weekend for not having a Pride Night.
«Our commitment is to make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball,» the team said in a statement to the Los Angeles Dodgers. «That means at our stadium, at every game and in everything we do, both for our fans and our employees. We deliver on that promise in our many programs to make a positive impact on our entire community.»
The Rangers made sure to add that they help support the LGBTQ+ community in a number of ways, including sponsoring the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series last year, as well as «developing a community impact and inclusion council.»
They also worked with the Resource Center in Dallas as well as the Pegasus Slow Pitch Softball Association.
On Friday, protesters filled the streets in front of Dodger Stadium as the team paid tribute to the group who dress up as nuns about an hour before first pitch. The stadium was basically empty for the Friday night contest at the time.
«The Dodgers Community Hero Award goes to an organization that reaches out to the LGBTQ+ community, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Los Angeles Chapter,» stadium announcer Todd Leitz said. «Join us in recognizing the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for their outstanding service to the LGBTQ+ community.»
Fans watch from the top deck as the LGBTQ+ flag flies in the background before a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants on Friday, June 16, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Dodgers pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Blake Treinen were among those who disapproved of being reinvited to the group in the clubhouse, while many others around the league, including Washington Nationals starter Trevor Williams, also disapproved of the tribute.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.