Local Businesses Brace For Economic Impact Of MLB Lockout
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Dodger Stadium is usually quiet during the offseason, but the worry is it'll stay that way after MLB and the players union failed to come to an agreement before Tuesday's deadline resulting in the cancellation of opening day.
"It would be a big hit, especially in this area right here by the stadium," said Josh Brekhus, a Dodgers fan who lives nearby. "I'm like two blocks from the stadium.... I go like ten times a year, as much as I can, I watch every game."
Management at El Compadre, a local restaurant, says daily business goes up by at least 20 percent every Dodgers game. The longer the baseball season is delayed the more money the that the Dodgers fan hot spot will lose out on.
"Usually we'd be scheduling all around opening day and then into the start of the game season. We up our staff, we see our sales just go a lot higher sometimes several times over. We usually get all hands on deck for opening day and it just doesn't seem to be the case," said Harry Zallen who works at The Short Stop, a neighboring bar.
Baseball is big business for spots around Dodger Stadium and just as the players won't get paid for cancelled games, local restaurants and bars are bracing to lose out every time the players don't take the field. It's another blow to an industry still trying to bounce back from the pandemic.
Dodgers fan Ryan Ginster put it best, "What would it be like if we went Spring and Summer without baseball?" asked Without baseball? Unbelievable, I mean come on, what's summer without baseball, I mean in all honesty?"
