Annually drawing the most attendance in baseball, with a renovation of Dodger Stadium completed and new star on the team in Mookie Betts, the Los Angeles Dodgers arguably faced the most losses this season because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Like other teams throughout the league, the Dodgers went the entire season playing games in front of an empty stadium. That changed when a reduced number of fans were permitted to attend the National League Championship Series and World Series at Globe Life Field.
As teams began to furlough and layoff employees, the Dodgers avoided doing such by implementing a tiered scale of salary reductions. Highest-paid employees took the largest reduction in pay to help offset the organization’s loss of revenue.
However, the Dodgers have now implemented layoffs, which they attributed to the prospect of likely starting another season without being able to draw a gate, per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne:
“While the Dodgers had a championship season, the organization has not been immune from the widespread economic devastation caused by the coronavirus.
“Since March, we have worked hard to minimize the impact on our employees. The ongoing economic crisis, however, forces us to make difficult personnel decisions throughout the organization, going forward for the 2021 season. This is a heartbreaking decision. This year, more than ever, we are truly grateful for the role each member of our Dodgers family plays in our success.”
Unable to welcome fans to Dodger Stadium this year, the team has looked to various avenues to generate revenue. The team hosted watch parties in the parking lot for the NLCS and World Series, and are staging a Dodgers Holiday Festival in which fans must purchase a ticket to if they wish to experience the exhibit.
Dodgers losses exceeded $100 million
Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said during a recent interview the franchise suffered losses that were “well north” of $100 million. He conceded cuts were likely coming in some capacity but that it wouldn’t impact the team on the field or Dodger Stadium experience.
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