For the first time in history, a major league sports team franchise has an openly gay owner. On Oct. 30, it was announced that the Ricketts family was the new owner of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and a share in Comcast SportsNet Chicago. According to MLB.com, the total purchase price was $845 million.
Laura Ricketts, a lesbian, owns a large portion of the team along with her partner.
“I came out to my family I would say [in my] early- to mid-30s,” Ricketts said in an interview with MarketToMarketLLC.com. “I think for a long time I wasn’t really out to myself growing up in Omaha, Neb., [in] a conservative Catholic family.”
Her family, she said, was immediately supportive of her coming out and her sexual orientation has never been an issue. Ricketts, who lives in Chicago, is a member of Lambda Legal, a national organization fighting for gay rights, including same-sex marriage.
The Ricketts have been outspoken about their quest to have the Cubs win the World Series, a feat the team has not achieved since 1908.
