Major League Baseball is shut down right now, as are virtually all sports, because of the coronavirus pandemic. We might see baseball again as early as May, but that could be with all 30 teams in Arizona, and no fans in the stands.
In the meantime, why are the parking lots at Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium filled with cars?
Because rental car companies need a place to stash all the extra vehicles that would normally be out on the roads right now.
Today is technically opening day for the MLB 2020 season. The seats at Dodger and Angel stadiums were devoid of fans, but their parking lots were packed – with rental cars. #OpeningDayAtHome https://t.co/24ZZoROymf
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 26, 2020
“Like others across the travel industry — and countless other companies large and small — we have witnessed an impact to our business,” said Lisa Martini, a spokeswoman for Enterprise Holdings (which owns the Enterprise, National and Alamo rental car brands), told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune via email. “This includes a decrease in reservations as travel has come to a standstill. As a result, we have had to park cars not currently in use.”
According to the recent Tribune article, Enterprise has more than 2,000 vehicles parked at Angel Stadium. Given that greater Los Angeles is arguably the center of car culture in the United States, this arrangement seems only fitting — a perfect match of need and availability.
Most people in L.A. drive everywhere. But these rental cars will probably be staying put for a while longer.