The Los Angeles Dodgers feature a storied history with many memorable stars. One such former star recently took some time for an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints.
Andre Ethier, who spent his entire MLB career (2006-2017) in LA, was a two-time All-Star and also won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award. Ethier and Hunter Pence, another former MLB star, both partnered with Sam's Club and Pepsi to offer fans Sam's Club's new cheddar cheese pork hot dog and a Pepsi Zero Sugar combo at Sam's Club Cafe. Ethier will host a community event in Torrance, CA on Wednesday, July 17 (National Hot Dog Day) from 2-6 PM local time where fans can meet the former Dodgers outfielder.
During our exclusive interview, Ethier discussed his new partnership as well as baseball topics such as Shohei Ohtani's impact on the Dodgers. Without further ado, let's get into the interview.
*This interview has been lightly edited for clarity
Former Dodgers star Andre Ethier partners with Sam's Club and Pepsi
Joey Mistretta: Let's start with the partnership with Sam's Club and Pepsi. What made you want to do this and what gets you excited about National Hot Dog Day?
Andre Ethier: First of all, Sam's Club, there's no better part of my day spent when it's the Sam's Club run. I am a shopping cart pushing expert through Sam's Club. I know the rules now especially when I go with my wife. Don't get too far, don't wander off. If she's putting stuff in the cart, you always have to be within distance. Those Sam's Club runs are always great… I was reintroduced to sodas again in my life recently because I've been looking for a substitute for sweetness and something like that. When zero sugar sodas started being released, I kind of tried them all and Pepsi Zero Sugar was the one I kind of settled on. It's kind of a match made perfect for me. Sam's Club Pepsi Zero Sugar and then throw in the hot dog for the summer is the perfect combo. We all know that hot dogs, baseball, and now Pepsi are the perfect combo for summer… Being in LA, being a Dodger, I'm pretty well accustomed to what the hot dog means to Dodger Stadium. I'm excited for this pork cheddar hot dog that's coming out and the combo with Pepsi there.
Mistretta: Do you have any other projects coming up you want to share?
Ethier: Nothing really… National Hot Dog Day is July 17th, that's kind of what's circled on my calendar right now. I'm looking forward to getting out to a local LA Sam's Club and kicking this off. I think we are visiting the Torrance, CA Sam's Club on July 17th, National Hot Dog Day. And rolling out this great combo. We got Pepsi and a hot dog for $1.38, package deal. You can also order it in store through the app while you're out there shopping on the scan-and-go. Place an order, pick it up as you're walking out. This is one of the big projects that I've been working on right now… Just bringing awareness to the Dodgers and all the marketing and partnerships that they have in the LA area. This is a great partnership that I look forward to having moving forward.
Ethier's Dodgers involvement, thoughts on Shohei Ohtani
Mistretta: How have you been able to stay in the Dodger community? Are you involved at all with the team? How's that going?
Ethier: It's a tough thing, right? I had a career where it's allowed me to kind of go the way I want around the franchise and organization. I know there are instances where they want me involved maybe more on the media side or more on the on-field side whether that's with the big team in LA or the minor league stuff around the organization. But for me, my tug from my family side is a lot more. I have a 16-year-old, a 14-year-old, an eight-year-old and a six-year-old. Was just in Atlanta, Georgia last week at a 15U baseball tournament. Got back for 4th of July weekend. Heading out to Santa Clara Wednesday for another baseball tournament. Those things are keeping me busy off the field. Corporate engagement is something I've had a nice introduction to with the Dodgers… I love going back two, three, four times a month during the season and being involved with some of their corporate engagement… So that's kind of where I'm at now in my day-to-day relationship with the Dodgers… This is going to be my 19th season wrapping up as an employee of the Dodgers. Pretty good to be with an organization this long as a player and an employee.
Mistretta: You were obviously a great left-handed Dodgers hitter. You look at a guy like Shohei, I just wanted to ask, what are your thoughts on Shohei getting to watch him obviously in Anaheim but now with the Dodgers?
Ethier: Well, we're glad that he's with the real team of LA now. I say that because I'm a lifelong Dodger, right? I always thought it was weird to call the Anaheim Angels the LA Angels of Anaheim. We will let them have that. Shohei is rightfully playing for the LA team now and I'm in awe. In awe everyday getting the chance to see him play. The numbers he puts up. Just have someone out-work, out-do their contract already and make it appear that way in that size of a contract is pretty special. I think he's doing it. He's earning every cent of it and he's making the Dodgers and ownership group look pretty dang smart for making that type of offer that seemed outlandish at first. But it seems like a bargain… We know that it's not just the on-field performance. It's the off-field, it's the marketing, it's all the stuff, the intangibles that he brings that is raising the brand awareness for the Dodgers and the team itself. Then also, leading it to more success than we're accustomed to as baseball fans, as Dodger fans. The team being a really good team and setting itself up for the future to compete for world championships.
Final thoughts
Mistretta: Before I let you go, just wanted to give you a chance to say anything else you wanted to say about this upcoming partnership. Anything else you wanted to add to it?
Ethier: No, I just look forward to meeting anyone else out there who is looking forward to coming out to the Torrance, CA Sam's Club for the hotdog hangout and National Hot Dog Day. I can't wait to pair these two together myself and give my first-hand reviews since I am a foodie and I love planning most of my trips around food. This is a great way to start off that weekend. I'm actually going to be in LA this entire week. Going to the Dodger game, July 22, which is the first game of the Giants series against them at home. I'm going to be in LA starting this week and no better way than starting off with this great combo right here at Sam's Club and Pepsi.
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