Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Class Struggle at Dodger Stadium

T.J. Simer's column in the LA Times left me shaking my head. How could the Dodgers deny loyal Dodgers fans access to the field level before games to get autographs? Only ticket holders in the expensive box seats are allowed access. Russell Wise explains in Simer's column.
"My friends tell me I bleed Dodger blue. My faith, though, in the Dodger family, has been shaken. I was lucky enough to get tickets to last Wednesday's game. My seat was on field level section 33, row C, the closest I have ever been to Major League action."
...
"I showed up at the game two hours before the opening pitch and found my seats. Three rows from those new box seats -- I figured it would be a snap to get an autograph. When I made my way toward the stretching players, ball and pen in hand, I was rebuffed. 'New rules,' the attendant said.
...
"Then I saw kids turned back from that magic line between regular seat and box seat. I couldn't believe it, their parents couldn't believe it, and the whole time the privileged few, in the new box seats, got as many autographs and pictures as they liked. At that moment I actually questioned my Dodger loyalty.

"The Dodgers to me have always been about family and tradition. I never thought I'd see the day where a regular kid couldn't get an autograph at a ball game.
This is a travesty. Isn't the pre-game autograph ritual a Baseball tradition? I did it as a child. Heck, I still do it today from time to time. I'm sure most of you tried to get autographs before a game too. How could they be so callous and arrogant?

Simer's goes on to write that the Dodger solution is to open up the centerfield gate. Of course, this no solution at all. Players rarely ever roam to deep centerfield, and, from some accounts, players have not been found there the past three games in LA.

Story Link: LA Times:

1 comment:

  1. I'm not originally from LA, I moved here from Chicago in 1970. Which means I am, by birth, a Cubs fan. However, the first game I went to was a Dodger game. Ivan DeJesus, Steve Garvey, Willie Davis and so forth. And I have autographs from ALL of them. Autographs I got during BP. Wow, the world has changed. I don't blame the folks that pay their hard earned money for those seats. I blame the McCourts for creating this Elitest atmosphere. For barring the majority of the other fans that payed with their hard earned money from the opportunity to meet one of their hero's. It's shameful. I am disgusted and angered about this. Once again, the Golden Rule wins. Is it class envy? No, I have spent many a hot summer day and cold fall evening waiting in line like so many other fans for an autograph. No, this is exclusionism at it's worst. Too bad the the Bone-headed McCourts won't see it for what it is.

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