In March 2009, as Dodger Stadium opened its doors to the world for the semi-finals and finals of the World Baseball Classic, the belief that baseball is truly a global sport was never more evident. Fans from all corners of the globe and the city of Los Angeles descended upon the heart of Dodgertown to watch baseball players from the nations of Japan, Korea, Venezuela and the United States play the National Pastime. Japan came away with a second straight title, but the most inspiring stories were not played out on the field, but in the stands. Fans with painted faces, tribal drums and oversized flags stood up to sing, applaud and cheer the likes of Ichiro, Shin Soo Choo and Miguel Cabrera - personifying the WBC’s international tagline – “Baseball Spoken Here.”
The experience resonated with the Dodgers Marketing Department and encouraged them to reconsider their target audience. There was potentially a new market: more than just cheer for their favorite players, there were fans looking for a chance to cheer for their country.