This Day in Sports Business History September 24

The final game at Ebbets Field took place on September 24, 1957, when the Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 2–0 before about 6,700 fans. While the game itself was quiet, the broader context was monumental in sports business history.

Team owner Walter O’Malley had been negotiating for a modern stadium in Brooklyn, but when city officials and power brokers like Robert Moses pushed alternative locations, O’Malley struck a deal to move the team to Los Angeles. The relocation marked the first time Major League Baseball ventured west of St. Louis, opening vast new media markets, boosting attendance potential, and laying the groundwork for baseball’s national (and later international) reach.