The Chicago Blackhawks are back in the headlines.
And this time, it’s not about hockey. Former PR manager Anthony Filomena is taking the organization to court. He says he was treated differently for being gay — and fired after speaking out.
The Timeline
Filomena joined the Hawks’ PR team in 2022. A year later, a new boss stepped in. From there, things went downhill.
In April, Outsports — a site covering LGBTQ+ sports stories — called for an interview.
Filomena says he got the green light straight from owner Danny Wirtz.
Wirtz told him it would help the Hawks’ image in the LGBTQ+ community.
The article went live April 29.
Three days later, Filomena says a senior staffer ripped into him — claiming the department “was very angry” about the interview.
On May 2, Filomena told his boss he felt this was discrimination.
The next day, he was out of a job.
Two Very Different Stories emerge in Blackhawks controversy
Filomena points to a perfect performance review just a month earlier.
He says other employees — not openly gay — did similar things and kept their jobs.
His lawyers say the firing was pure retaliation.
The Hawks see it another way.
In a statement, they say Filomena was let go for “multiple instances of misconduct” over six months.
They claim he got several warnings, including a final written one, before being dismissed.
What’s Next
Filomena is suing for lost pay, lost benefits, and damages.
He says the ordeal caused emotional distress, humiliation, and more.
The Hawks deny any discrimination.
This fight now heads to federal court in Illinois.
It’s another off-ice story the Hawks will have to answer for — and one that could keep their name in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Story first reported by The Athletic.
