 |
| Campaign leader Zan Dubin hits 'send', delivering the petition signatures to Dodgers' owners. |
This past Sunday, over 20,000 voices called for change at Dodger Stadium as we delivered a petition urging the team’s owners—Mark Walter, Magic Johnson, Billie Jean King, and others—to end their sponsorship deal with 76 Gasoline, owned by Phillips 66.
Around 15 activists from the Sierra Club, Third Act So Cal (a chapter of Bill McKibben’s group), MoveOn.org, and other organizations gathered outside Dodger Stadium as fans streamed in for the post season home game. We displayed boxes bearing our number of petition signers, a visual testament to the widespread support for the campaign. As the press conference wrapped up, organizers hit 'send' on an email to the Dodgers’ ownership, wirelessly delivering the petition on the spot.
The event featured several passionate speakers, including Alicia Rivera from Communities for a Better Environment, who has dedicated years to fighting the impacts of toxic pollution on communities across the region. Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Director Morgan Goodwin emphasized the urgency of the issue, stating, “Mark Walter knows that the continued burning of fossil fuels is incompatible with a living climate.”
Despite the growing number of supporters, the Dodgers’ management has yet to respond. This sponsorship deal is dangerous greenwashing: it makes it look like oil and gas are as wholesome and friendly as baseball. Yet, with the climate crisis worsening, our message is clear: the Dodgers must set a better example by cutting ties with industries that threaten our future.
“Walter publicly bills himself as a conservationist and donates with his wife to protect endangered species and wild habitats,” said campaign lead Zan Dubin. “But he is simultaneously accepting millions from the industry destroying the things he loves and working to convince Dodger fans that oil and gas are as wholesome and friendly as their beloved home team. This has to stop.”
 |
| Morgan Goodwin, Angeles Chapter Director, poses with our campaign posters in front of Dodger Stadium |
The Sierra Club, in collaboration with MoveOn.org, delivered the initial petition to Dodgers management back in July, receiving no response. The list of supporters continues to grow, now including prominent figures like environmentalist Bill McKibben, Harvard University professor Naomi Oreskes, Emmy Award-winning actor Kyra Sedgwick, and “Don’t Look Up” director Adam McKay's production company, Yellow Dot.
The campaign against the Dodgers’ fossil fuel sponsorship draws a stark comparison to other harmful industries. “Imagine if the Dodgers decided to shill for gun makers or Big Tobacco by hoisting an assault rifle or cigarette company logo above the scoreboard,” said campaign supporter Paul Scott. “Well, the data show that there have recently been more annual deaths from air pollution than from gun violence. Time for the Dodgers to take the lead and leave fossil fuel ads behind. They must set a humane example.”
As the campaign continues, the message to the Dodgers is simple: the time for greenwashing is over. It’s time for the team to step up and show true leadership by ending this harmful sponsorship deal.
How You Can Help
If you agree that the Dodgers should cut ties with Big Oil, add your name to the petition and join the growing number of voices demanding change. Together, we can hold our favorite sports teams accountable and push for a cleaner, healthier future.
For more information and to sign the petition, click here.