Summary
- ANA partners with LA Dodgers and plans to deepen ties with city and celebrate Japanese culture.
- The carrier has operated direct flights between Tokyo and LA since 1986.
- Potential clash with Japan Airlines over LA Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, given his brand ambassadorship with JAL.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced a new partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers, becoming the team’s Official Japanese Airline Partner. Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani signed for the Dodgers in December but also has an individual deal with ANA rival Japan Airlines, potentially complicating the deal.
ANA becomes official LA Dodgers partner
The Japanese airline has signed a multi-year agreement with the LA Dodgers – the partnership will include stadium and television branding, sponsoring events, and participating in Heritage Nights to celebrate Japanese culture. Not only is Los Angeles home to one of the largest Japanese-American populations in the US, but the Dodgers recently signed Shohei Ohtani, widely regarded as Japan’s most famous sporting export. Ohtani signed a record-breaking $700 million 10-year deal with the Dodgers in December, making the move from fellow LA outfit the Los Angeles Angels.
Photo: ANA
Shinichi Inoue, President and CEO at ANA, said,
“Amid increasing interest and excitement in Japan toward the Dodgers, we are honored to become a proud partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. We take great pride in this partnership to further deepen our relationship with the vibrant city of Los Angeles.”
According to the MLB, the ANA brand will be displayed on signage behind the home plate and outfield wall at Dodgers Stadium, as well as at the team’s Spring Training home at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. The carrier’s presence will also be seen during media interviews and promotional giveaways.
Lon Rosen, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at the Los Angeles Dodgers, added,
“We are taking advantage of several of our platforms to showcase the ANA brand. Together, these displays will drive brand exposure for ANA to more than 4 million in-stadium fans and millions of fans watching from home.”
Almost four decades of LA flights
The Japanese carrier is closing in on four decades of operating direct flights to Los Angeles after launching in 1986. It currently operates three daily services between Tokyo and Los Angeles (LAX), utilizing both Narita Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND).
Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock
The majority of the carrier’s Tokyo-LA flights are operated by its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet, although it sometimes deploys the smaller 787-8 on this route too. As per Cirium data, ANA serves eight US destinations – Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC – operating over 100 weekly flights.
LAX is in fact the airline’s joint-most frequent US route (with Honolulu), with a total of 21 weekly services amounting to almost 8,800 weekly seats. However, its highest seat capacity is to Honolulu (HNL) which it serves from both Narita and Haneda, including two daily Airbus A380 flights from NRT.
JAL clash?
As many commentators have pointed out, Shohei Ohtani became a brand ambassador for Japan Airlines in 2021. Given Ohtani is the jewel in the crown of the Dodgers’ marketability in Japan, this could lead to complications for ANA and JAL.
In fact, the baseball star made a video address to new Japan Airlines employees on Monday, as seen in the video above. Taiwanese carrier EVA Air is the official partner of Ohtani’s former side, the Los Angeles Angels – the airline donated $1,000 to charity for every home run the team hit last season, with Ohtani hitting 44 all by himself.
Related
EVA Air Will Donate $1,000 To Charity For Every Angels Baseball Home Run
The donations are already starting to stack up.
