The rise of Southern California as a major region of the United States brought about a significant economic rivalry between neighboring Los Angeles and Orange counties.
To many living outside of Southern California, the entire region is often simply referred to as "LA", associating Los Angeles and Orange counties with the same stereotypes and preconceptions. However, the two counties differ sharply in political ideology, socioeconomic status, and demographics.
Los Angeles County is considered more liberal, and is represented by a more ethnically diverse population, while Orange County was known to be one of the most conservative areas in the state.[6] This divide led to the Los Angeles/Orange county line being colloquially referred to as the Orange Curtain.
This can be somewhat misleading, though, because the older, more urban, cities of northern and central Orange County (Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Buena Park, etc.) are much more in tune with Los Angeles County cities than their southern Orange County counterparts. These older Orange County cities are much less homogeneous than the south, and the income levels and demographics represent this.
In recent years, coinciding with the postseason success of the Dodgers and the growing postseason drought for the Angels, gameday experiences for each team have drastically changed (with a Dodgers game costing much more money to attend than an Angels game)[7] because of this the economic situations of each fanbase have experienced a sort of role reversal. Another contributing factor of the changing fanbases of both franchises is the ownership of the Angels by Arte Moreno (the first Mexican-American to own a major sports team in the United States) which has led to a significant growth of its Hispanic and Latino American fanbase.[8] This has even become a contributing factor toward players such as Anthony Rendon choosing to sign with the Angels over that of the Dodgers.[9] Following the addition of Shohei Ohtani to the Angels in 2018 and the Dodgers in 2023, both teams saw an increase in both Asian and Asian American fans, particularly Japanese and Japanese American fans.[10][11][12][13]
History
Dodger Stadium (left), the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Angel Stadium (right), home of the Los Angeles Angels.
The Freeway Series began as a pre-season exhibition series regularly played between the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers at their respective regular season ballparks during the final days of each pre-season. The first exhibition game between the two clubs took place on April 2, 1962, which saw the Angels beat the Dodgers 6–5 in Palm Springs, at the time the spring training home of the Angels. The first pre-season series was played at Dodger Stadium, at the time the home ballpark of both teams April 6–7, 1963. The Angels won both of the two games played. The Dodgers and Angels continued playing spring training exhibition games against one another in 1964. On the eve of the Angels' 1966 move to Anaheim Stadium, the series paused for the 1965 pre-season and did not resume until the 1969 pre-season. The exhibition Freeway Series has mostly persisted since its 1969, with only occasional skipped years in 1972, 1980 and 2000-02 pre-seasons,[14] the latter of which was the result of bad blood that developed between the teams' front offices following the Dodgers' late cancellation of the 2000 pre-season Freeway Series to play the New York Yankees, which left the Angels to scramble to find a last minute replacement club to play. While the novelty and transition of the exhibition Freeway Series lost much of its luster following MLB's adoption of regular season interleague play, the exhibition Freeway Series continues to this day. Generally, the exhibition Freeway Series is two or three games, with at least one game played at each of Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium between the end of the Cactus League and Opening Day, and is extremely well attended for preseason games (for example, the average attendance for the 2023 preseason Freeway Series was 36,108.[15]
In anticipation of the Angels moving to Anaheim for the 1966 season, the Angels renamed as the "California Angels". They would keep this name from late-1965 to 1996 and rename as the "Anaheim Angels" from 1997 to 2004. After the Angels added Los Angeles to their official name in 2005 (as the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim"), the rivalry took on renewed interest, as the series took on a more intracity atmosphere. Throughout the 2005 season, Dodger Stadium listed the Angels as "ANA" on its out-of-town scoreboard and team schedules, as it was prior to Angels' name change. However, the Dodgers now post "LAA" on both their scoreboard and schedules. Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully refers to the team as just the Angels when mentioning them on the air. Dodgers tickets still refer to the Angels as the "Anaheim Angels." As of the 2011 season, however, the Angels' out-of-town scoreboard in right field still lists the Dodgers by their pre-2005 "LA" abbreviation instead of "LAD". The Angels' name change was largely opposed by the Dodgers organization, city and county of Los Angeles, Anaheim, every other city in Orange County, and fans on both sides. The prevailing argument was that the Angels did not play within Los Angeles county limits, and that adding LA to the name inaccurately represented the location and background of the team's fans. The Angels' ownership countered that bringing the Los Angeles name to the American League was beneficial to the entire region and organization.[16] Furthermore, the Census Bureau's definition of Greater Los Angeles includes Orange County in its definition, and the Angels have always used Los Angeles stations to broadcast their TV and radio games. The adding of the "Los Angeles" to the Angels name still causes some resentment in the minds of both Angel and Dodger fans today.[17]
At one point, both teams were owned by major media conglomerates: the Angels had been owned by the Walt Disney Company,[20] and the Dodgers were owned by News Corporation (each company owned one of the MLB broadcast partners, with News Corporation changing its name to 21st Century Fox in 2013, and subsequently being purchased by the Walt Disney Company in 2019).[20] Both teams have been sold in recent years.
Shohei Ohtani spent his first 6 seasons with the Angels before signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in 2023.
During the 2002 World Series, there was a moment of peace in the rivalry as a result of the nightmares the Dodgers and their fans were facing because the Angels played the San Francisco Giants, the fierce in-state rivals of the Dodgers.[21][22][23]The Los Angeles Times called the series "the Dodgers' 'Nightmare Series.'"[20] The New York Post called it "the worst-scenario World Series for the Dodgers."[23]The San Francisco Chronicle called the series "a Dodger fan's worst nightmare."[24] The Dodgers and their fans, including Chairman Bob Daly and former manager Tommy Lasorda, rooted for the eventual champions and attended their games in Anaheim.[21][22][23] Lasorda was at Game 2 and stood behind the batting cage and said that he's a big fan of Angels manager Mike Scioscia (Scioscia had spent his entire 13 year playing career with the Dodgers).[25] Daly attended Game 7 and sat near the Angels dugout, as a fan of late Angels owner Gene Autry.[26] This series was the Angels first championship, while the Dodgers' most recent title came in the 2024 World Series.
History was made in 2014 when two MVPs were chosen from the same metropolitan area with the Angels outfielder Mike Trout winning the American League MVP and Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw winning National League MVP for the year. This occurred again in 2019 when the Angels' Trout and Dodgers' Cody Bellinger won their league's respective MVP awards.[27][28]
Another recent point of contention between the two fanbases occurred on December 9, 2023, when Angels’ star Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers for $700 million.[29] Ohtani's decision to leave the Angels to sign with the Dodgers led to some Angels fans dubbing him a "traitor" and "sell-out".[30] Following the firing of Ippei Mizuhara in 2024 due to his theft of $4.5 million from Ohtani for sports betting, animosity towards Ohtani's departure from Angels fans only grew. The first regular season meetings between the two teams since the signing took place on June 21, 2024 at Dodger Stadium and on September 3, 2024 at Angel Stadium.
Interleague play was introduced in the 1997 season, marking the first time the Angels and Dodgers played each other in the regular season. As a result of City of Anaheim v. Angels Baseball LP, Angels change name from "California Angels" to "Anaheim Angels". First time Dodgers sweep the Angels.
Angels win 6 games in a row against the Dodgers, their longest winning streak against the Dodgers. On June 25 at Dodger Stadium, Angels defeat the Dodgers 13-0, their most runs scored in a game against the Dodgers and their largest victory against the Dodgers with a 13-run differential. Both teams make the postseason for the first time.
Angels rename to "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" (see City of Anaheim v. Angels Baseball LP for more information.) Angels win American League West Division title and finish as runner-up in their respective league championship series.
On May 19 at Dodgers Stadium, Dodgers defeat the Angels 16–3, their most runs scored in a game against the Angels and their largest victory against the Angels with a 13-run differential. Dodgers advance to the National League playoffs as the Wild Card, Angels finished second in the American League West Division standings.
Angels finish with the best record in the league (100-62). Both teams win their respective divisions. Dodgers finish as runner-up in their National league championship series.
Series changed to four-game format with two in each city, except in years the AL West plays the NL West (2015, 2018, 2020, 2021) Dodgers win their first of eight consecutive National League West Division titles (current). Dodgers finish as runner-up in their National league championship series.
Angels name reverts to "Los Angeles Angels" Dodgers win National League West Division and finish as runner-up in their National league championship series.
On June 26, Angels' win against the Dodgers snapped the Dodgers' 10-game winning streak. Dodgers finish with the best record in the league (104–58). Dodgers win National League West Division and lose 2017 World Series.
First season series sweep by the Angels and first by either team since 1997, the first year with interleague play. Dodgers win National League West Division.
Season shortened to 60 games due to COVID-19 pandemic. Second season series sweep by the Dodgers. Dodgers finish with the best record in the league (43–17) Dodgers win National League West Division, National league pennant, and 2020 World Series, their first World Series championship since the 1988 season.
All MLB teams start playing each other annually. Four-game format (two games at each ballpark) used for interleague rivals. Fourth season series sweep by the Dodgers. Dodgers finish the longest win streak of the series, a 10-game winning streak.
Shohei Ohtani signs with the Dodgers after six seasons with the Angels. Dodgers win National League West Division, National League pennant, and 2024 World Series
As of 2024, the two sides have never met in the postseason. To meet in the postseason would require that they both advance to the World Series in the same year. To date, the two teams have made the playoffs in the same season four times: 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2014. In 2009, both teams advanced to their respective League Championship Series. The Angels lost the ALCS 4–2 to the eventual championNew York Yankees, while the Dodgers lost the NLCS to the Philadelphia Phillies, 4–1. This would be the only time each team qualified for its League Championship Series in the same season.
The Angels won their only World Series appearance in 2002. The Dodgers have seen eight World Series titles, most recently winning in 2024.
^Yoon, Peter (December 14, 2007). "No controversy, just champions". Los Angeles Times. p. D3. Now that we have the Freeway Faceoff between the Kings and Ducks to go along with the Freeway Series between the Dodgers and Angels, we need a name for this. It might be difficult to incorporate 'freeway' into it, though, since they share the same building. Maybe we could call it the 'We took the same freeway as you did to get here tipoff.' Or, 'The showdown at the intersection of the 10 and 110 freeways.'
^ abcPenner, Mike (October 28, 2002). "Angels' Dream Is Fox's Nightmare". Los Angeles Times. p. U3.
^ abChang, Richard (October 21, 2002). "Many Dodgers fans wearing a halo". Orange County Register. p. Angels. Dodgers fans look to the Angels coaching staff—former Dodgers Mike Scioscia, Mickey Hatcher, Ron Roenicke and Alfredo Griffin—as another reason to like the Angels...The Southern California connection, as well as the north-south divide, also plays a role...Most true-blue Dodgers fans are looking beyond Mickey Mouse and are hoping the Angels reduce the Giants to gnats.
^ abShaikin, Bill (October 18, 2002). "Angel Report /Notes; Rodriguez Giving a Sneak Preview". Los Angeles Times. p. D10. The way Angel Manager Mike Scioscia figures it, Dodger fans will be rooting for the Angels during the World Series, if only as the lesser of two evils. As a former Dodger catcher, Scioscia is well aware that a Dodger fan's two favorite teams are the Dodgers and whoever is playing the Giants.
^ abcSherman, Joel (October 20, 2002). "Mike Makes Right". New York Post. p. 98. This is the worst-scenario World Series for the Dodgers...San Francisco is the Dodgers' most hated NL rival. The Angels are the Dodgers' neighbors to the south...'This is not a good situation for the Dodgers,' (Paul) Lo Duca admitted. But he said because he has a relationship with Scioscia and former Dodger coaches and current Angel coaches Mickey Hatcher and Ron Roenicke, it would be easy for him to root for Anaheim.
^Garofoli, Joe (October 19, 2002). "Dodger fans cross the line, seek Series tickets". San Francisco Chronicle. p. A14. This Series is a Dodger fan's worst nightmare.
^Brookover, Bob; Salisbury, Jim (October 21, 2002). "Lasorda watches Series with pride, prejudice". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. C6. Although Lasorda could never cheer for any team other than the Dodgers, he obviously is a big Scioscia fan, who spent his entire pro career as a Dodger under Lasorda.
^"Spotlight; Dodgers' Daly Pulls for Angels to Win". Los Angeles Times. October 28, 2002. p. U2. There was little doubt where Dodger Chairman Bob Daly's allegiances were...—the Brooklyn native was seated two rows behind the Angel dugout for Game 7...'I grew up...loving Gene Autry, so for me this was easy,' Daly said of the late Angel owner. 'The Angels...have a good team,...played very well, and...I've enjoyed it.'
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