It’s Official: Dodgers Not Willing to Pay for a “Few Buses”

One of the “few buses” we won’t be seeing again this season.

Yesterday Dodgers owner Frank McCourt held court at a Town Hall Los Angeles luncheon where he addressed how the Dodgers are progressing in their $500 million renovation to Dodger Stadium and their $100 million spring training venue in Arizona according to a report in the Times.  He also mentioned that he believes it to be the city’s responsibility to help deliver people to the stadium via public transit so he can turn a profit.

That’s not exactly how he phrased it, instead he mixed his message on last season’s Dodger Shuttle, the bus service that moved an average of just over 700 people to and from the stadium for the second half of the season and post season:

“The trolley has been a fantastic success,” McCourt said. “But it’s a
few buses. We need robust, muscular public transit for Dodger Stadium
to be a vibrant place. But that applies to the whole city, doesn’t it?”

Putting aside the reality that a 2008 federal law makes it difficult for agencies to provide transit service to sports teams, the Dodgers have refused to do anything to help the city cut the $400,000 price tag to run shuttle service for the season.  As originally reported last week at Blogdowntown, the team refused to help line up sponsors for the shuttle, in violation of its agreement last season with the City Council.

I do appreciate the regionalism and pride  that causes people to root for the local 9.  But given the team’s lack of loyalty to its fans, especially those that can’t afford tickets and parking; I have to suspect that at some point their fans will start showing the Dodgers the same respect they are shown.

Photo: The Los Angeles Dodgers