To celebrate Pride Month, most teams in Major League Baseball have scheduled a “Pride Night” to celebrate the LGBT community. However, this year, the Texas Rangers will be the only MLB team to not host a Pride Night for its fans.
MLB’s practice of holding “Pride Nights” began in 2001 when the Chicago Cubs were the first team to schedule such an event. Since then, every team has adopted a similar event at their ballpark. It appears that the Rangers have no regard for this practice. While the team has themed nights on schedule to celebrate things such as Star Wars and Whataburger, they have no interest in hosting a “Pride Night” for their fans.
In a statement to HuffPost, the Texas Rangers stated that they are committed to make all fans feel welcome and included at Rangers games. The team did not, however, give a reason as to why they are not specifically hosting a “Pride Night” like the other 29 MLB teams.
“Our commitment is to make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball. That means in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do — for both our fans and our employees. We deliver on that promise across our many programs to have a positive impact across our entire community," the Texas Rangers told HuffPost.
The team’s decision is likely due to fear of boycotts from their conservative fans. Because the team is based in Texas, a large portion of Ranger fans have traditional values when it comes to social issues. As companies like Bud Light, Target, and Disney have angered their conservative consumers in recent days by endorsing radical social issues, these companies have been subject to nationwide boycotts that have significantly hurt their profit margins.
Recently, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced severe backlash for their decision to invite a controversial LGBT group to attend their “pride night” on June 16. The group, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, is comprised of men dressed as drag queens in nun outfits. The group is known for their rejection of traditional values and their mockery of Christianity. Amid a series of boycotts from conservative consumers across the country, the Dodgers attempted to make amends with their Christian fans by also announcing a “Christian Faith and Family Day” that will take place in July.
This piece was originally published on TPUSA.
