Dodgers' LED light situation may have taken game day festivities too far
OK. OK. Perhaps we've gone too far in the fan accommodation department. The fans are undoubtedly important, but the main focus is still the game and the players. So maybe we don't need every single new form of entertainment imaginable at the ballpark?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are already getting pushback on their new LED light display they debuted on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. Time to halt the Friday night Drone Show while we're at it before things get too out of hand?
Since the ballpark experience isn't enough for some, the Dodgers decided to up the ante and create a nightclub-like atmosphere with light shows (no, seriously, president Stan Kasten literally said that at FanFest in January) that were specifically not supposed to serve as a distraction. But they did on multiple occasions Thursday and it became a postgame story.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo was vocal about it after the Dodgers' 8-2 win over Arizona, citing two instances where he felt the show was unnecessary: once in the fifth inning when outfielder Jake McCarthy was in the middle of fielding an RBI single off the bat of Will Smith and a second time in the eighth inning when reliever Carlos Vargas was warming up on the mound.
D-backs starter Zac Gallen even noticed it to the point where he questioned if Major League Baseball was going to allow it moving forward.
Did Dodgers take it too far with their LED lights on Opening Day?
The fans apparently enjoyed it, which they could still do as long as its executed at the right moments. There can't be any dimming or flickering of the lights during the action, like when a ball is in play or when a pitcher is about to deliver.
It's even questionable during warmups. Players can lose sight of the ball or misfire if startled by the flashes or brightness change. During timeouts or as the players are switching sides in between innings? Sure. That makes enough sense -- or just about the exact amount of sense.
But as you can see in the photo below, we've gone from 0 to 60: Dodger Stadium hadn't changed its lights since 1962 and now we're grinding up against the person in the seat next to us during a pitching change.
We don't deny that there could be a fun element to this that spurs further fan engagement during a particular evening, but the Dodgers seemingly botching it on Day 1 is a tough look -- though, more importantly, it's a learning experience.
The Dodgers and their fans certainly don't need these kinds of stories making news after a victory, so we're trusting this is cleaned up a bit for the remainder of the weekend.