The Texas Rangers stand out in Major League Baseball, but not for a reason that aligns with modern inclusivity efforts.
As Pride Month draws to a close, it becomes evident that the Rangers remain the only MLB team without any form of Pride Night celebration in June, marking another year of apparent inaction from the organization on this front.
Rafael McDonnell, a liaison for diversity and inclusion through the Resource Center, has been in continuous dialogue with the Rangers’ team employees about embracing such initiatives. Despite these efforts, the team’s stance has not changed, which presents a striking contrast to the inclusive celebrations hosted by the other 29 MLB teams.
“It’s a complicated relationship,” McDonnell expressed, reflecting on his long-standing connection with the team. “As someone who grew up watching the Rangers, as someone who has gone to games since the 1970s, some of my biggest and best memories are going to games at the old Arlington Stadium with my late grandfather and listening to games on the radio in his backyard. It pains me that this remains an issue (after) all these years,” he shared with The Independent.
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McDonnell speculated that some upper management might be impeding the initiative, though the specific reasons remain obscure.
The decision not to host a Pride Night is particularly puzzling given the Rangers’ active engagement in community initiatives.
McDonnell finds it frustrating and difficult to understand why the organization seems to have chosen this particular issue as a point to make their stand, isolating themselves from a movement that the rest of the league has embraced.
The sense of confusion and disappointment isn’t limited to external advocates like McDonnell. Inside the organization, employees and other partnering groups also express bewilderment over the lack of a Pride Night. DeeJay Johannessen, chief executive of the HELP Center which partners with the team, discussed the challenges of addressing this issue directly with the team’s leadership.
“I have not [spoken with ownership] because, quite honestly, that’s just not going to happen. I’d love to meet with Mr. Davis and talk about why it’s important. But I don’t think that’s on his priority list right now,” Johannessen revealed. Despite this, the Rangers continue to claim a commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and fans, aiming to make everyone feel welcome at all times.
This ongoing discrepancy between the Rangers’ community engagement and their stance on Pride celebrations continues to be a source of tension and discussion among fans and community leaders alike.
As another Pride Month passes without participation from the Rangers, the calls for inclusivity grow louder, urging the team to reconsider their position and join the rest of the MLB in celebrating diversity and inclusion actively.
