We Do NOT Need Politics In Major League Baseball (Or Any Other Sports, Frankly)
The Dodgers front office, pushed by activists who do not represent the cross-section of team fans, push into divisive politic issues when they should be uniting fans behind the success of the team.
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The Dodgers Picked A Side. A Lot Of Their Fans Didn’t.
The Dodgers stepped into the immigration fight — and reminded fans how little common ground is left.
My latest California Post column looks at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to donate $1.1 million to families affected by recent immigration enforcement actions — and the growing pressure on sports franchises to become political actors.
The Dodgers had every right to make the donation. That is not really the question. The question is whether one of America’s most iconic sports franchises should be stepping into one of the country’s most divisive political debates at all.
Immigration is not a consensus issue in California. It certainly is not a consensus issue among Dodgers fans. There is no single Dodgers position on immigration because there is no single Dodgers fan position on immigration.
For generations, Dodger Stadium has been one of Southern California’s rare places where people with very different politics could put those differences aside for a few hours and root for the same team. That kind of shared civic space has become increasingly uncommon — and increasingly valuable.
In my full California Post column, I examine what happens when sports franchises move from baseball to politics, why activist pressure campaigns never truly end once they begin, and why many fans see these decisions differently from team executives and public relations consultants.
The broader question extends beyond Chavez Ravine. Should sports teams serve as unifying institutions that belong to everyone? Or should they increasingly function as participants in America’s political and cultural battles?
The Dodgers currently have the best record in baseball. Shohei Ohtani is making history. Andy Pages is driving in runs. That should be the story.
👉 Read my full column in the California Post HERE. (No Paywall)
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