In a year marked by consumer backlash against companies supporting transgender and LGBTQ+ rights, Major League Baseball (MLB) has decided to take a step back. “While Americans bring the country’s mightiest brands to their knees, Major League Baseball has decided to dodge the flak, quietly ordering teams to ditch their Pride uniforms entirely.”
This decision appears to have been at least partially influenced by a chain of events sparked by National Hockey League (NHL) Russian defenseman, Ivan Provorov, who refused to wear a Pride jersey in a hockey game, initiating a wave of rebellion across North American locker rooms.
Following this, six NHL teams decided to eliminate the rainbow gear completely, with many players from other teams also opting out. This led to a public relations disaster for the NHL, with Commissioner Gary Bettman confessing that the league needed to reconsider forcing players to wear political messages they didn’t personally support. MLB seems to have learned from this situation and issued a blanket ban in February to avoid a similar controversy.
The first signs of this change came to light when the Tampa Bay Times announced that Pride Night would look different this year, with players no longer wearing rainbow-themed caps or patches. This move by the MLB is believed to have stemmed from a controversial event involving a group of Christian pitchers who voiced their disapproval over the rainbow gear.
Baseball officials have stated that the MLB will no longer use its uniform space to promote specific causes that are not league-driven. Billy Bean, MLB’s senior vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion, affirmed this position after witnessing the NHL’s struggle.
However, due to a “preexisting agreement,” the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, known for their strong LGBT advocacy, have received special permission to wear their Pride-themed patches this year.
Rays’ team president Brian Auld conceded that last year’s controversy over the issue had been a learning experience and opened up a crucial dialogue. One of the Rays’ star pitchers, Tyler Glasnow, stressed that the debate had facilitated significant conversations within teams and emphasized that people should be able to enjoy baseball games regardless of their beliefs.
