Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper Praises Los Angeles Sports Teams

The USC Trojans share the Los Angeles market with numerous big-time professional sport brands and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Philadelphia Phillies star slugger Bryce Harper spoke before Friday’s Phillies vs. Dodgers game about the Dodgers and how it’s connected to the city of Los Angeles.

Bryce Harper: "(Los Angeles) Is the Mecca of Everything"

Apr 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) is greeted at home after hitting a walk off solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The National League’s top two teams in the regular season from last season faced off Friday night in the first game of a three game weekend series. The Phillies held on to a 3-2 win, handing the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers their first loss of the 2025 season.

Every offseason, the Dodgers seem to add superstar after superstar to an already loaded team; whether it be Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers don’t stop their pursuit of superstars even with the astronomical payroll and team success they already have. Harper doesn’t have an issue with this philosophy and went as far to say you’re a “loser” for thinking so.

“I don’t know if people will like this but I feel like only losers complain about what they are doing. I think they are a great team, they are a great organization,” Harper said. “That’s why guys want to go there and play.”

Harper also cited the attraction that his the city of Los Angeles for being a reason so many players sign with the Dodgers.

“LA is a great city to play in obviously. They are the Mecca of the world of everything, right? From food to nightlife to sports. From the Dodgers to the Lakers to anybody,” Harper said. “They’re going to continue to get guys. They’re going to continue to pull guys from this sport. That’s bullpen, starting pitching, international players.”

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Can USC Become the Premier Brand in Los Angeles?

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There are an endless amount options for people in Los Angeles to do; beaches, concerts, NBA games, MLB games, NFL games, etc. What can USC to stand out and draw more attention to them?

Back in the early 2000’s with Pete Carroll as coach, USC was one of the “can’t miss” event sin town. While they were flashy and exciting, they also won. Since those days, USC has been on average, a fringe bowl team that struggles filling up their home stadium. For this generation of USC football to change that, they will have to win if they want to compete with premier franchises such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Additionally, with winning comes more recruits wanting to come be apart of the program. The days of Carrol’s Trojans year after year playing for conference championships and national championships are becoming further away.

It is now at the point where these high school prospects don’t even remember the days when USC was on top of the college football world. It will be a tall task for coach Lincoln Riley, but the resources are there to make USC the premier program it once was again.