LOS ANGELES ¨C It¡¯s a warm spring evening at Dodger Stadium and two Japanese women are taking selfies next to a mural featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and their clear favorite ¡ª Roki Sasaki, who they say that they¡¯ve enjoyed following on Instagram since he started with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Later they¡¯ll head to the airport for a 1 a.m. flight. But for now, their full attention is on the game.
This type of evening out has become common among Japanese tourists. In fact, 80%-90% of Japanese nationals who visit Los Angeles want to see a game at Dodger Stadium, and many do so more than once, the city¡¯s tourism board said. The influx of Japanese visitors has already inspired an expansion of Dodger Stadium¡¯s food offerings: last year, the ballpark started offering takoyaki. This year, the hot new menu item was a katsu (cutlet) double-decker sandwich with Kewpie mayonnaise.
But this influx of Japanese visitors has become more than just fandom ¡ª it¡¯s a signal of a larger shift. Players are actively reshaping the way that MLB connects with fans on both sides of the Pacific, as the league leans into marketing that¡¯s just as much about identity, pride and belonging as it is about what happens on the field.
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