'Fire Nico' chant breaks out at Rangers game
03/28/2025 03:37 AM
Opening Day at Globe Life Field is usually all about the Texas Rangers — especially fresh off a strong Spring Training. But on March 27th, just as the 2025 season was kicking off, a new chant rang out from the stands, one that had nothing to do with baseball.
“Fire Nico!” fans yelled, loud enough for it to be heard under the broadcast booth.
The target? Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison — and the frustration behind it is still boiling over a month after Harrison traded franchise icon Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas.
The decision to move Doncic — a generational talent and the heart of the Mavericks franchise — shocked not just Mavericks fans, but the entire NBA. While the deal happened weeks ago, Opening Day provided the first massive, regional stage for angry North Texas sports fans to make their voices heard.
Rangers fans let Nico Harris know of their displeasure
Many fans believe the trade effectively ended the Mavericks' chances of contending in the near future, despite Harrison's insistence that the move was about "defense winning championships." That reasoning hasn't convinced fans — especially as Doncic has thrived alongside LeBron James in L.A., where the defending champion Dodgers now share the city's sports spotlight with a revitalized Lakers team.
The backlash only intensified after Harrison's awkward press conference in Cleveland days after the trade was announced. He attempted to frame the move as proactive, citing conditioning concerns and long-term contract uncertainty with Doncic, even though the star never requested a trade. At one point, Harrison even admitted he hadn't discussed the trade with any teams besides the Lakers.
"I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance," Harrison said at the time — a quote that continues to be ridiculed across social media.
For fans, none of that reasoning held up. Doncic was beloved in Dallas — not just for his historic scoring and highlight reels, but for embracing the city and its basketball culture. Seeing him leave, especially without public input from ownership or evidence of tension, has fueled calls for accountability — chants that now spill into unrelated events like Rangers baseball games.
It’s a reminder that North Texas sports fans don't forget — and they don't let go easily. With the Mavericks limping toward the postseason and the city still mourning the loss of its brightest star, don't expect the "Fire Nico" chorus to die down anytime soon.
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