The Los Angeles Dodgers entered 2024 spring training with more star power than any team in baseball history. Their offseason acquisitions of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and ace pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto added to a franchise that already boasted homegrown talents like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
The Resulting Frenzy
During the first days of spring training in Glendale, Arizona, fans mobbed Dodgers stars seeking autographs and photos, abandoning other baseball dignitaries once Ohtani or Yamamoto appeared. Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara saw a woman sprint towards Ohtani, nearly forgetting her toddler in a stroller yards behind. Another woman asked Ohtani to sign her newborn baby.
Decorum vanished in the quest for selfies with players. When Ohtani picked up a bat near the practice mounds, two dozen photographers scrambled to the fences for a shot. Fans ditched Freeman and Betts when Ohtani stepped into the batting cage to face young pitcher Emmet Sheehan – his first live pitching since elbow surgery. The madness reflected a team garnering unprecedented levels of attention.
North Carolina Residents Join the Excitement
Back on the other side of the country, sports fans in North Carolina closely followed the Dodgers’ dizzying offseason. Diehard supporters scrambled to book flights and hotels in Los Angeles to see the super-team in action. Some even contemplated road trips to opposing ballparks like Atlanta and San Diego to catch the Dodgers when they visited.
“Imagine getting to tell your grandkids you saw Ohtani, Freeman, Betts and the pitching staff all play together,” said Raleigh resident Tyler Ward. “It’ll be like seeing the ’27 Yankees with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.”
This enthusiasm extended to North Carolina’s newly-legalized sports betting industry as well. In November 2022, North Carolina joined 30 other states in allowing online sportsbooks. By March 2024, major brands like DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM will offer North Carolina sports betting apps for wagering on Dodgers games.
The Rising Popularity of MLB Betting
Early data showed the Dodgers surpassed the Yankees as the most-bet team globally on DraftKings. Supporters could even wager on entertainment options like Ohtani’s batting average. Of adults surveyed in North Carolina, 62% planned to place real-money bets on MLB outcomes this season. The state’s sportsbooks stand to generate nearly a billion dollars from baseball wagers alone.
“The Dodgers are a worldwide phenomenon,” said remote sportsbook dealer Doug Hayes. “It’s a dream for us – tons of betting options combined with massive public interest.”
The all-time greats in Dodger blue also presented intriguing futures bets. Oddsmakers gave Los Angeles the best chance to win the 2024 World Series title after falling short in 2023. With sport betting revenue benefiting education funding, North Carolina residents viewed the mobile wagering boom favorably.
Big-Market Dominance
The Dodgers’ accumulation of superstars renewed concerns across Major League Baseball regarding competitive balance. No other organization can financially compete with Los Angeles’ seemingly-unmatched wealth and market size. They drew over 3.8 million fans to Dodger Stadium last season and added lucrative sponsorship deals with Japanese companies to access Ohtani.
Smaller-market teams like the Baltimore Orioles operate on vastly inferior budgets by comparison. No Oriole will earn half of Betts’ $365 million contract. While excitement surrounds the star-laden Dodgers, some question if their dominance damages MLB’s competitive integrity. However, excitement surrounding Ohtani reaches all fan bases and directly benefits league revenues.
Time will tell whether mega-spending in Los Angeles can finally fetch another championship following playoff disappointments. For now, the baseball world fixates on the Dodgers. Rookies to legends, ace pitchers to must-see sluggers – has any franchise ever trotted out so many stars at once? Baseball diehards from North Carolina to California eagerly await the answer.
