WRIGLEYVILLE — Pride Month kicked off Monday, and social media accounts for sports teams across Chicago and professional leagues nationwide filled timelines with rainbow logos, celebratory graphics and messages supporting LGBTQ+ fans.
Yet on the North Side of Chicago, the Cubs’ accounts did not.
For some fans, the lack of a welcoming and simple message was notable.
While the Cubs continue to host an annual Pride celebration at Wrigley Field, sell Pride-themed merchandise and participate in Chicago’s Pride Parade**,** the team has seemingly stopped posting Pride Month messages on its main social media channels after years of doing so, prompting questions online about whether the club’s approach has changed.
The criticism isn’t that the Cubs have abandoned Pride-related programs. The team’s annual Pride Celebration returns June 15 in a game against the Colorado Rockies, featuring LGBTQ+-owned businesses, entertainment, a Pride jersey giveaway and fundraising for Center on Halsted.
But some fans say the shift away from public social media messaging stands out for a franchise that once promoted Pride Month prominently online and plays next door to Northalsted, one of the country’s most visible LGBTQ+ neighborhoods.
The White Sox, Bears, Sky and Stars have all posted on social media this week to celebrate the start of Pride Month.
While the Cubs have highlighted Pride-related events through temporary content and event promotions, the team has not appeared to make permanent Pride Month posts on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook in the way the Bears and White Sox have.
The questions from Cubs fans come as companies across the country have scaled back public Pride Month campaigns amid political backlash and growing scrutiny of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and as LGBTQ+ people are facing political attacks. There are more than 20 anti-LGBTQ+ bills being pushed just in Illinois, according to an ACLU tracker.
“If you’ve done it in the past, other teams are doing it, Major League Baseball is doing it, and you decide not to do it, it seems like a choice not to do it,” said Danny Rockett, a Cubs fan, musician and co-host of the Son Ranto Show podcast. “I’m not saying that’s what happened, but that’s what it feels like to fans.”
I talked about this last year too… but @Cubs silently stopped posting all their Pride promos on main accounts.
They were the first MLB team to launch an annual pride game! They border Boystown! They’ll have a float in the parade!
It’s such a weird, sad marketing switch up… https://t.co/VfetDmSZRr pic.twitter.com/AGuiYSJJus
— Micky Horstman (@Micky_Horstman) June 1, 2026
The questions are less about whether the Cubs support the LGBTQ+ community and more about what appears to be a shift in how that support is communicated publicly, Rockett said.
“It’s not like the Cubs don’t do anything,” Rockett said. “They have Pride Night, they’re in the Pride Parade, they have an owner who’s part of the LGBTQ community. That’s why it’s noticeable. The expectation is there because they’ve done it before.”
In a statement to Block Club, Jen Martinez, the Cubs’ senior director of communications, said the team’s commitment to supporting and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community remains unchanged.
“Throughout June, Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride flags will be flying at Wrigley Field,” Martinez said. “Fans will see content across Instagram, X and Facebook showcasing our Pride Celebration at Wrigley Field, stories connected to our community initiatives and coverage of our participation in the Chicago Pride Parade.”
The Cubs have long been viewed as leaders in LGBTQ+ outreach within professional sports. In 2001, Wrigley Field hosted what organizers say was the first annual LGBTQ+-focused event in Major League Baseball, now known as Out at Wrigley.
The event was spearheaded by Chicagoan Bill Gubrud, who persuaded the Cubs to host what was then called “Out at the Ballgame.” The gathering drew thousands of fans and helped establish a model for celebrating LGBTQ+ fans that was later adopted by teams across Major League Baseball and other professional sports leagues.
Over the years, the Cubs expanded those efforts through Pride Night celebrations and public support for LGBTQ+ causes, establishing a reputation as one of baseball’s more visible allies.
This week’s questions about if that support is continuing have been especially notable given the family that owns the team.
Laura Ricketts, who serves on the Cubs’ board and chairs Cubs Charities, became the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to co-own a MLB franchise when her family bought the team in 2009. She has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
But other members of the Ricketts family have been major Republican donors who have supported President Donald Trump and conservative causes that have opposed expanded LGBTQ+ protections.
Some fans pointed to a FanDuel-sponsored promotion posted June 1 as evidence that the team’s social media accounts remained active while Pride Month went unmentioned.
So the Cubs will post about gambling, but not about Pride Month? WTF. Shouldn’t be surprised considering who owns the Cubs but damn. I’m very disappointed. https://t.co/qKFzGU1N0l
— Betsy Doyle (@betsy_s_doyle) June 1, 2026
For some Cubs fans, the issue is less about a single social media post and more about a noticeable departure from the club’s own recent history.
A review of the Cubs’ social media accounts shows the team regularly posted Pride Month content for more than a decade from 2013 through 2024. Posts from previous years included Pride Month graphics, celebrations of the team’s annual Pride Night, Pride-themed wallpapers and messages supporting LGBTQ+ fans. In 2024, the Cubs shared multiple posts promoting Pride Night and Pride Month activities at Wrigley Field.
A Cubs fan celebrates during the 2024 Pride Parade in Northalsted. Credit: Provided/Chicago Cubs Twitter
This year, the Cubs have continued promoting their June 15 Pride Celebration through ticket offers, email marketing and other channels. An email sent to fans June 1 advertised the event’s Pride jersey giveaway, performances, LGBTQ+-owned businesses and fundraising partnership with Center on Halsted.
“I think people just want consistency,” Rockett said. “When something that’s been part of the Cubs’ public identity changes, fans notice.”
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