Organizers said the protests coincide with the postponed federal Clean Water Act trial of Phillips 66 for alleged wastewater dumping at its Carson refinery, now set for 2029
Environmental activists will hold simultaneous protests Tuesday at Dodger Stadium and nine other professional sports venues across the country to condemn fossil fuel sponsorships they describe as “sportswashing.”
The Feb. 17 demonstrations, organized by a coalition including Dodger Fans Against Fossil Fuels and the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. PST at Dodger Stadium’s southeast entrance on Stadium Way and Vin Scully Avenue. Protesters plan to include “Lamentors,” costumed demonstrators in sackcloth, headscarves and ashes to express climate grief.
The action targets Phillips 66, which sponsors the Dodgers through its 76 gas brand, with large logos displayed at the stadium. Organizers said the protests coincide with the postponed federal Clean Water Act trial of Phillips 66 for alleged wastewater dumping at its Carson refinery, now set for 2029.
Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard University historian, said companies use sportswashing to buy goodwill from beloved teams while distracting from harmful practices. “They are advertising products that are killing people, damaging property, and making it hard to do things we care about, like play baseball or go skiing, as weather worsened by climate change melts snow or raises temperatures unbearably,” she said.
The protests call for team owners to end fossil fuel sponsorships. No permit or attendance estimates were provided for Dodger Stadium, and law enforcement response was not immediately known.
