ICE Out of LA: Dodger Fans, Protest and Representation

• In Event: Sociology of Culture Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): 11. Fandom & Media Consumption

Abstract

Wrestling with the conundrum of commodified sports, and complicated political histories is not new. The history of local displacement that gave rise to Dodger Stadium, racism by managers and owners, the homophobic treatment of players like Glenn Burke in the 1970s and more recent debates over pride invitations to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, reflect changing political realities and can create dilemmas for fans. The current moment requires consideration. In June of 2025, a series of ICE raids touched off ongoing protests across the region. Protests featured widespread use of Dodgers symbols to represent Los Angeles, while activists simultaneously highlighted corporate complicities and called for boycotts. Combining participant observation as a fan and protestor with textual analysis of social media posts, this paper explores political identity and fandom. Fans relationships with teams and identities as fans are separate from the consumption of the team as a product or experience (Giulianotti, 2005; Numerato and Guilianotti, 2018). Sports fans have a history of activism and advocacy (Numerato and Guilianotti, 2018). In addition to critiques of commodification and football as a hyper commercialized product (Fitpatrick and Hoey, 2022; Numerato and Guilinati, 2018), sports fandoms have been linked to socio-political issues (Fitzpatrick and Hoey, 2022; Numerato, 2018). The Dodgers have cultivated cosmopolitan and immigrant fans, innovating with cultural heritage fan nights, strategic recruitment, and international events, such as the Tokyo series, creating an interesting dynamic that highlights class relations, corporate products, and communities. Yet, the team has remained notably silent as the communities they cultivate as fans are terrorized by immigration control, highlighting classism and who is considered a demographic worth validating. This paper explores the co-option of corporate symbols to represent communities whose values are not aligned with corporate entities.

Author

• Faye Linda Wachs, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona