Former Blackhawks PR employee sues team for discrimination; Chicago cites misconduct claim: Report

Anthony Filomena, an ex-staff member of the Chicago Blackhawks' public relations team, has sued the team for discrimination. The Blackhawks say he was dismissed for repeated misconduct, not because of his sexual orientation.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, claims Filomena was fired shortly after raising concerns about unfair treatment. He says the situation worsened after an April 2024 article in Outsports, a website focused on LGBTQ+ stories in sports.

Filomena alleged that he had asked team chairman and owner Danny Wirtz for permission to do the interview. According to him, Wirtz had given him the approval, saying that the story could help improve the team’s image in the LGBTQ+ community.

According to Filomena's claims, a few days after the article was published, a senior employee had mentioned to him that the interview didn't sit well with the department. Filomena told his supervisor in May 2024 that he believed this reaction was based on discrimination. The next day, he was fired.

The lawsuit states that just a month before his termination, Filomena received a “perfect rating” on his performance review.

However, the Blackhawks have denied the claims. They said Filomena was let go after “multiple instances of misconduct over a period of six months.” In a statement, the team said he had been given several written warnings, including a final written warning, before his dismissal.

“He (Filomena) received multiple written communications outlining expectations including a formal and final written warning prior to his dismissal," The statement read. "His termination was solely due to continued misconduct and disregard for our company policies.”

Filomena says the firing caused emotional distress and humiliation.

A previous lawsuit against the Chicago Blackhawks by an employee

Former employee Nina Sanders, a Native American woman, sued the Chicago Blackhawks and its charity in May 2024 over workplace conduct.

In her lawsuit, Nina said she was hired in 2020 to improve relations with the Native American community but was later sidelined after using her connections.

"I built relationships with my own trusted native colleagues," Nina said, "and once they figured out how to do it, they pushed me out."

Sanders also accuses the team of sexual harassment and fraud. She claimed that her reports of harassment were ignored and that she was misled about planned logo changes.

The Blackhawks denied the claims, citing that investigators found no evidence. They also shared that Sanders reported the issues after her contract ended.