Community impact of the World Series 2023

When a hometown team earns a spot in a championship or finals what impact does that have on a community? Everyone seemed to be united behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. What is the psychological and communal effect and also the economic impact?

Journalist Jay Dieffenbach joined Arizona Horizon to help answer those questions.

“Phoenix in particular, there are so many people from outside the state who move here and lay down roots,” Dieffenbach said. “We have to give it time for the kids to grow up, those kids are now growing up with disposable income. So finally, it’s almost a perfect storm.”

The Diamondbacks have been around for only 25 years. The first generation of fans have enough income to watch the World Series games.

“Whenever you can find an alternative to the day-to-day grind, it’s a good thing,” Dieffenbach said. “Sports is supposed to be recess, something that you can go invest in with no pressure.”

According to Dieffenbach, sports rioting will always be around.

“People want to make it about themselves,” Dieffenbach said. “I remember when I was in the Republic back in 2001, the night of the World Series Championship I was working, and all of a sudden cars are jammed up on Jefferson. People were on top of cars and destroying property.”