We love L.A.—and plenty of other cities, too.
It started on Thursday—or at least, that’s when I noticed it. I was at a coffee shop in downtown Boston, sitting right in front of the giant glass windows while catching up on work, and smiled to myself when I saw someone in a Dodgers hat walk by. They’re rare out here in my adopted home, and it’s always nice to see a fellow fan. Then there was another. Then there was a whole group of them (ok, that’s different), then another group shortly after, a family decked head-to-toe in L.A. gear and rolling their suitcases behind them on their way to a hotel.
And then I remembered that the Dodgers were in town for a series, and so was their legion of well-traveled fans.
Something similar happened the last time the Dodgers were in Boston, when I looked up from my book on the subway and suddenly saw a veritable sea of blue-clad fans hanging on for dear life as they traveled to Fenway Park.
While Fenway is a unique destination, Dodgers fans aren’t just traveling to see the historic ballpark. Wherever the Dodgers play, their fans follow. They outnumbered Tampa Bay Rays fans in the 2020 World Series, which took place in Texas. Manager Dave Roberts commented last year on how well fans travel overall. Even opposing teams have noticed: Giants star Willy Adames said during the last San Francisco series that there were “too many Dodger fans” in Oracle Park.
The Fenway Faithful have earned their nickname: They’re demanding, yes, but they’re also fiercely loyal, and that extends far outside of the ballpark. I’ll never forget the cab driver who told me, “You’re taking your life into your hands wearing that around here!” upon seeing me in my Dodgers jacket, and that was in 2011 on my way to the airport for Christmas break. Mookie Betts wasn’t even in the majors yet, and the Dodgers felt totally irrelevant to the Red Sox, especially in December. And yet, despite this ever-present “Boston vs. Everyone” mentality, you don’t hear Yankees fans complaining about having too many Bostonians in the Bronx.
I’d be remiss to not mention how organized groups, like Pantone 294, sell travel packages to games and arrange meetups and marches that make Dodgers fans stand out at visiting stadiums. But there are also hundreds of individual fans traveling with friends and family to share an experience at stadiums near and far—in fact, mine flew out for the 2023 Red Sox series.
So, why do we travel so well? Few teams feel as essential to their cities as the Dodgers do to Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has top attendance in 2025 (and is always filled with fans in royal blue, not orange or red), and we’ve waited a long time for what feels like a major renaissance. Maybe we’re just so thrilled to be experiencing another golden age that we want to soak it up at every ballpark possible. Whatever the reason, Dodgers fans are indeed true blue—and they’re making sure everyone else knows it.