Fair to say the the World Series between the NY Yankees and LA Dodgers is a meeting of the two most storied franchises in baseball. Yes, I know there are Chicago Cubs faithful now in full scream and Boston Red Sox Nation is threatening to pelt me with week old lobster carcasses, but these are the two teams that speak to history of the game in every aspect.
Including their fans.
When it comes to sports rivalries, few match the clash of the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. These franchises embody not just two teams but two vastly different worlds, especially their fanbases? They might as well be from different planets, and if you’ve seen how some people dress to attend their home games, you wouldn’t be wrong to question the need of DNA testing.
Yankees fans are the type who’ll yell at you for “not caring enough,” while Dodgers fans will probably ask if you’ve considered “chilling out, my friend.”
First, let’s deal in the single most important facet of the fan competition.
Fashion.
Yankees fans take the fashion side of fandom pretty seriously. They’ve got their classic Yankees cap — which, in New York, might as well be issued with your birth certificate. (Sorry, Mets fans). The cap says “I’m serious about baseball,” “I’m serious about life,”, “I sometimes have no life unless it revolves around what happens in The Bronx”, and “I probably know a guy who knows a guy.” Pair that with a custom-embroidered Yankees jersey and a menacing scowl, you’ve got the look.
Over in LA LA Land, Dodgers fans go for a much more laid-back vibe. Think of a “slip into something blue” approach. They’ll show up in Dodger blue T-shirts, baseball caps with perfectly pre-formed bills, (one would never wear a Dodgers cap with a frayed edge for fear of being cast asunder into the cold streets of Beverly Hills), and hoodies for the “chilly” 68-degree evenings.
That’s no joke. I have friends who live in SoCal, go to Dodgers games, and if it were allowed would build a warming fire at their seats to stave off the “shivering cold” under 70 degrees.
No one’s trying too hard, and if you’re overdressed, someone will probably offer you a taco as a peace offering. Yankees fans are baffled by the lack of intensity, but for Dodgers fans, that’s part of the charm. Just relax. Chill. Have a Dodger Dog and experience the Zen missing in your life.
Which brings us to consumables.
Now, if you’re a Yankees fan, your ideal ballpark meal is a slice of pizza the size of your forearm or a classic Nathan’s hot dog — dripping in mustard, none of that ketchup nonsense because everyone knows ketchup on a hot dog is a mortal sin. Eating at Yankee Stadium means scarfing down something greasy and undoubtedly overpriced, all while yelling angrily at the umpire questioning his genetic upbringing.
But no mothers, man. Leave Mom out of this.
They have made some asides to current culture, with crab fries and the spicy salmon cheesy burrito sneaking into the standard NY grease pit. Oh, and I say that out of love, because unless you’ve had that pizza dripping oil onto your jersey, that shirt just hasn’t been properly baptized.
Dodgers fans, on the other hand, are just as likely to grab a quinoa salad or an avocado toast from the concession stand. Some of these items are. of course, cost reserved for those with at least two mansions and a hideaway in the Hills. Dodger Stadium serves birria, carne asada, poblano tacos and veggie tempura right along with Cracker Jacks and Dodger Dogs.
They’re less inclined to scream at the umps and more inclined to sigh about how that strike call wasn’t very “in touch with the cosmos.” For them, watching the game is about “soaking in the experience,” which Yankees fans would probably scoff at if they weren’t too busy yelling at Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman.
What brings these two fooding factions together is, of course, the prices. Want to dine at either ballpark? Your mortgage and first born child used to be just enough. Now, you better have something more valuable to sweeten the deal.
Speaking of vibe, let’s discuss the feel of NYC vs. LA.
Yankees fans live life at the same pace as New York City itself: fast, loud, and with a purpose. They’ve got no time for “maybe next year.” Their team should be winning this year, every year. A Yankees fan will remind you — usually within the first 15 minutes of conversation — about the Yankees’ 27 World Series titles. If you don’t know, you’re about to find out, and if you forget, don’t worry, they’ll remind you again. And again. And….again.
Dodgers fans, meanwhile, are living their best LA lives, basking in the knowledge that their team just broke a World Series drought in 2020. And while they don’t have 27 rings, they have sunshine all year long, which they’d argue is almost as good. Dodger fans are more likely to reminisce about Vin Scully’s golden voice than their World Series record — they take pride in their team’s iconic voices and personalities as much as the wins themselves. For them, the Dodgers are less about the rings and more about living in the moment, and catching some tasty rays while doing so.
Those rays then lead us to what each fan basks in from Mother Nature.
Yankees fans will tell you they endure harsh winters and blazing-hot summers to get to those games, toughing it out through rain delays and a calendar that sometimes sees snow, meaning they had to slug thru 10 foot drifts in their bare feet while lugging a backpack filled with rocks. When a fan sits down in the Bronx, they’re probably still defrosting from that January freeze and just as ready to battle the elements as the Red Sox. It’s a point of pride, actually. If you’re not suffering, are you really supporting your team? (Sorry again, Mets fans).
In contrast, Dodger Stadium is a temple of endless summer. Their “cold” games dip into the 60s, which sends Dodgers fans scrambling for fleece blankets, scarves and solar hand warmers. Yankees fans laugh at this, bemused by the “hardships” of LA’s weather. For Dodgers fans, though, 60 degrees calls for a parka and hot chocolate, because it’s not like they’re made of stone. I mean, this is SoCal, dude.
As these franchises were once neighbors, there then remains the historical divide, which is about as Grand Canyon-esque as it could be.
Historically, both teams have had their glory days and their iconic players. The Yankees have Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, Derek Jeter, Aaron Judge, (maybe, the baseball Gods still willing), and more legends than most franchises combined. Yankees fans see themselves as baseball’s elite and don’t mind telling you how many titles they’ve stacked up, even if it’s been over a decade since the last one.
Dodgers fans, however, are proud of a different kind of history — Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier, Sandy Koufax and his unmatched brilliance, and of course, that 1988 World Series win with Kirk Gibson’s legendary home run. For Dodgers fans, baseball isn’t just about winning. It’s about iconic moments, legends, and the underdog spirit. Though. to be fair, Shohei Ohtani has charged this fan base unlike any player in recent memory, and he’s doing it with an air of “cool” that perfectly fits the Chavez Ravine vibe.
Which finally brings us to the hard-and well-earned reputations for both fan bases.
New Yorkers are fierce, direct, and, let’s face it, borderline aggressive when it comes to supporting their team. Yankees fans treat every game like Game 7 of the World Series, and they don’t believe in “participation awards.” If you’re not trying to win, why are you even here? New Yorkers think Dodgers fans are a little too… mellow, perhaps. You’ll never hear “Beat LA” from a Yankees fan without some serious edge and perhaps a little salty language.
In LA, on the other hand, it’s almost as important to “be seen” at the game as it is to watch the game. Dodgers fans will bring their friends, make it a social event, and enjoy the sunset as much as the score. Yankees fans will roll their eyes at the laid-back LA vibe, while Dodgers fans will ask why everyone’s so angry over in New York. Again, it’s all about the vibe, dude.
In the end, Yankees and Dodgers fans both represent their cities perfectly: one with grit and hustle, the other with calm and cool. But when they meet on the field, all bets are off. Dodgers fans might be chill, and Yankees fans might be intense, but at the end of the day, they’ll both be screaming for a win. Just with different levels of intensity.
And, in true LA fashion, maybe an Instagram story or TikTok video for good measure.
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