In a surprising and uncharacteristically personal business move, Elon Musk reportedly stated that if the Los Angeles Dodgers decline a potential partnership with Tesla, he will prohibit Dodgers players from purchasing Tesla vehicles in the future.
Musk, CEO of Tesla and a frequent provocateur on social media, is no stranger to bold statements. But targeting an entire sports team’s access to his company’s vehicles—based on a corporate partnership—would be a new frontier in brand loyalty enforcement.
The nature of the proposed partnership is unclear, but it may involve stadium charging infrastructure, EV promotions, or co-branded events. Musk has a long history of aligning Tesla with high-profile entities to amplify visibility, particularly in California where both Tesla and the Dodgers are cultural staples.
Critics have already begun to question the legality and ethics of denying access to a product based on organizational affiliations. Others argue it’s simply Musk being Musk—a master of leveraging headlines to drive attention.