Dodger Stadium crowd for playoff game last night was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen
A commentator criticised the sparse crowd in the upper decks at Dodger Stadium during Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, calling it a poor showing for a major league franchise. The Los Angeles Dodgers lost 6-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers and fell 3-0 behind, putting them on the brink of elimination.
The article argues that traffic, ticket prices and cool weather do not explain empty seats visible by the sixth inning. It says tickets for Game 4 were available from $80 on StubHub and contrasts the Dodgers’ attendance with the expected atmosphere at the Brewers’ home ground. These are the writer’s opinions about the crowd and its effect on the teams’ reputations.
- The Dodgers lost Game 3 and trailed the Brewers 3-0.
- A commentator criticised sparse upper-deck crowds at Dodger Stadium.
- Game 4 tickets were listed from $80.
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Major League Baseball’s post-season is called the playoffs. The National League Championship Series is a best-of-seven contest: the first team to win four games advances to the World Series, the final series of the season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers play at Dodger Stadium, while the Milwaukee Brewers are based in Wisconsin. Both clubs have large fan bases, and attendance at playoff games can attract attention because it is seen as part of the event’s atmosphere and each team’s public image.
Tickets, travel and weather can all affect who attends a game. Claims about what explains empty seats, or how a crowd reflects on a club, are opinions and may be disputed.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A playoff game is a rare chance for supporters to show their team and city at their best, and conspicuously empty seats can make a major franchise look disengaged. If tickets were available at manageable prices and the gaps persisted well into the game, it is reasonable to question whether traffic or weather fully explains the turnout, especially in a high-stakes series.
The case against
Sparse upper decks do not necessarily show a lack of commitment: ticket prices, travel and traffic can still put live games beyond many fans’ reach, while cold weather may make attendance less appealing. A team’s support is better judged across its wider fan base than from one night’s visible seats, and a defeat or early exit is not caused by the crowd’s size.