Good morning and welcome to it Sunday. I’m your host, Andrew J. Campa. Here’s what you need to know to start your weekend:
The Dodgers will begin their 2025 season with a visit to Tokyo
The Los Angeles Dodgers will begin their season with an international trip for the second time over the years.
Instead of Korea, the Defending World Series champions will begin their title defense in two stages in Tokyo.
The Blue Boys will face the Chicago Cubs in a pair on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Dodgers arrived on Thursday at a Beatles-like welcome recorded by my colleagues and team.
Build a Japanese brand
Harris wrote that in a way it feels like a Japanese team in Major League Baseball.
They have inked Japanese stars and free agents over the past two seasons.
They also attacked advertising deals with some of the country’s biggest companies. All of their games are on display on Japanese television.
Team staff have stated their mission to “paint Japan blue” and will become the most popular baseball team in the country.
However, this week they were immersed in that international spotlight for their first 24 hours in Tokyo.
Welcome, Welcome Home
Hundreds of fans, decorated with Dodger Blue, were crammed into the arrival hall at Tokyo Haneda Airport, dreaming of taking photos of the team and their favourite players.
To their frustration, the airport built a partition that blocked every view of the squad.
The set-off didn’t diminish enthusiasm as thousands of fans roamed the streets around Tokyo Dome on Friday ahead of the team’s first official training. Again, they were dressed in Dodgers hats, jerseys and T-shirts.
Inside the dome, 10,507 fans are packed into a bowl under the historic ballpark, turning it into a nearly universal sea of white and blue.
They came to witness the training.
“It’s crazy and amazing,” the manager told The Times.
“It was overwhelming to say the least,” Shortstop added.
Otani didn’t spend much time on the field on Friday.
But his mere appearance caused a roar. And when he left the field, the photographer scrambled to capture every step of his.
Later that night, while in Shibuya’s Tokyo area, Roberts said he was impressed by the sight of the team’s brand on the city streets.
“We saw a lot of Dodger hats,” he said.
Another view heading into the season
The Dodgers’ international travel offers a perspective on popularity in Japan, dominant locations on the world stage, and the ever-growing spread of even 5,000 miles from their home.
“It’s all over the world,” Rojas said. “I think the Dodgers are trying to get there with the world’s largest organization. I’m talking about every team in the world, Barcelona’s Real Madrid. I think the Dodgers are really close.”
Please check for more information about the visit.
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