Climate Change Dem Targets Dodger Stadium, Demands '76' Sign Removal

A Long Beach Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez, is pushing to have the iconic "76" sign removed from Dodger Stadium.

Loyal fans of the Boys in Blue see the move as political grandstanding.

Politicians like Gonzalez should be condemned for meddling in sports, a realm meant for enjoyment and unity, by injecting their personal agendas into the sports discussion. 

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 14:  A detail view of the Dodger Stadium scoreboard prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium on Thursday, April 14, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robert Beck/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Baseball: ALDS Playoffs: Closeup view of scoreboard that reads ALDS 2020 during Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics game at Dodger Stadium. (Getty Images)

She claims the team's association with oil and gas companies poses a hazard for fans — a vague assertion tied to her broader climate concerns rather than specific evidence of danger from the sign itself.

READ: Dodger Stadium Goes DARK During Primetime Game Because Of Abrupt Outage

Gonzalez, an ardent climate change activist, supports California’s lawsuit against oil companies, including Phillips 66. She is taking an aggressive approach to eliminating fossil fuels in favor of her ambitious green agenda.

Now, Senator Gonzalez is pressuring the Dodgers to follow in her footsteps.

Yet Dodgers fans admire the "76" sign at the stadium because it’s a nostalgic landmark, towering over Chavez Ravine since 1962.

In a letter dated March 11, 2025, she compared embracing her climate change agenda to breaking the color barrier with Jackie Robinson in 1947 — an analogy that many see as absurd and an insult to Robinson’s legacy and the civil rights movement.

"The state of California is currently suing five of the largest oil and gas companies in the world for decades of misleading the public about climate change," Gonzalez wrote in the letter. 

"This lawsuit includes Philips 66 ... As a State, we are leading the way in climate action and decarbonizing our economy. Yet Big Oil continues to engage in climate denial and just last year spent a record amount lobbying the State Legislature against common-sense public health measures."

Currently, 59 American sports franchises have sponsorship deals with oil and gas companies.

Gonzalez added, "Continuing to associate these corporations with our beloved boys in blue is not in our community or the planet's best interest.

"Ending the sponsorship with Phillips 66 would send the message that it’s time to end our embrace of polluting fossil fuels and work together towards a cleaner, greener future."  

One blind spot of the senator's approach is how these partnerships benefit both teams and fans, as well as Los Angeles County's own mismanagement of their 'green' projects, highlighted by the recent LA wildfires.

Democrats have poured billions into ineffective green policies in Los Angeles as part of California's $28 billion climate spending initiative. Unfortunately, these projects have failed to stop the wildfires that ravaged the state in 2024 and 2025.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the scoreboard before a preseason game against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium on March 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the LA Times has joined the effort, pushing the Dodgers to drop Phillips 66, the company behind 76 gasoline.

Their climate change writer, Sammy Roth, highlighted a petition calling for a ban on the 76 sign, which gained nearly 23,000 supporters.

However, there is no clear evidence that Dodgers fans support this notion beyond the petition itself.

Chavez Ravine, home of the Dodgers, has a historic connection to oil and gas, located near former oil fields and refineries. Gonzalez and LA Democrats argue that oil and gas worsen air quality, a claim supported by Los Angeles’s documented pollution challenges.

However, their focus on agendas like the Green New Deal is criticized as ineffective and economically disastrous, threatening American jobs and energy independence.

The senator's broader views include advocating for trans athletes to compete in California and nationwide, which some see as out-of-touch with sports traditions.

Now, the Dodgers must choose to resist this leftist pressure or give in by severing ties with a longtime sponsor.

The idea that the sign is dangerous for fans has been described as potentially ridiculous, similar to claiming the Estrella Jalisco sign is responsible for DUIs.

OutKick reached out for comment from Gonzalez's office about responses to banning the ‘76’ sign, but Gonzalez has not responded ...

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