Scott Akasaki (4-1-25)

The Dodgers Senior Director of Travel talks about the Dodgers trip to Tokyo and traveling with Shohei Ohtani. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Dodgers made it back from Tokyo, returned home to
Dodgers Stadium, and are just two days away from embarking
on their first road trip in North America. The man
that puts it all together is the director of travel
for the Dodgers, Scott Akasaki. Scott, thanks a lot for
the time, and what a whirlwind of a time it's been.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Well, it's been absolutely awesome, Dave. Going back to last year,
what a great year obviously October. You can't ever duplicate that.
Maybe we can. I don't know, but you know, it's
been It's been a lot of fun, certainly to go
back to Japan, come back to La have these great

(00:38):
couple of days here to start the season. So looking
forward to what this year has for us.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
You have Japanese blood in that Akasaki name. What was
it like for you to go back to Tokyo with
Shohyotani and the Dodgers, Dave.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
I appreciate you asking that question, and I don't want
to get too deep here, but there was a time
when in our nation's history when Japanese Americans weren't really
viewed in the same level, especially during World War Two.
So my parents My grandparents were involved in that, my
aunts and uncles, so certainly that's never been lost upon

(01:16):
me and my family's history. So to be able to
go back to Japan and with the Dodgers and having
the collection of stars that we have Japanese and otherwise
was absolutely amazing. And to go from like the World
War two experience to the modern day has been for

(01:38):
me personally tremendously moving.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
How did you get a group of two hundred people
traveling players, coaches, front office from Arizona to Tokyo, get
them seamlessly as acclimated, and then also find a way
to get them back after a game was played in Tokyo, Japan.
Take us through what an undertaking that was?

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Well, you know, I think Dave a lot of the
folks who went to Tokyo went to Seoul last year,
so they knew the schedule, how to adjust to sleep,
what they were going to feel like, the visa process,
sort of the different nature of everything, the food, the
gaps in time. So I think having the Soul experience

(02:25):
was really great as an orientation for the Tokyo experience.
So I think everyone who went to Soeoul was very
well prepared for Tokyo, and they knew exactly what they
wanted to do. And I hope everybody who went on
the trip maximized their time and had a great experience
over there.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
But for Scott Akasaki, who's organizing this trip to get
the world champion Dodgers to Tokyo seamlessly through customs and
a foreign airport, there is the variable of the unknown
for you. How did you make it so smooth for everybody?

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well, Dave, you asked that question, and you're giving me
a lot of credit, but I certainly can't take that credit. Certainly,
the folks at Major League Baseball who organize the trip
for the Dodgers and Cubs, played a huge role. The
team that we have here, al garciaan Security, Alex Torres

(03:19):
the equipment side, and Markazai and Baseball operations really were
instrumental in getting this trip off the ground. Patricia Romero
and family programs, everybody was all synced up. Of course,
our front office is aligned, so Andrew Brandon, their leadership.
Of course, the coaching staff, everybody is. When we needed

(03:42):
information to get all the stuff we needed to get like,
it came very quickly because everyone wanted to have a
great time in Japan.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
You've been part of the Dodger organization for over twenty
years now, You've seen a lot. What's it like in
twenty twenty five for you to be where you're at
right now and not just being with a baseball team,
but basically being with a rock band going around the
country and the world. Was sho Heo Tani?

Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know, Dave, not only it's at the time with
the Dodgers, but you know, I was born and raised
in Los Angeles, so to see the city and how
energized the city is and how energy, how people are
excited about the Dodgers is absolutely fantastic. And so yes,

(04:30):
sho Heo Tani, the best player on the planet. To
be able to travel the United States and internationally with
him is certainly amazing. But what a great group of guys,
you know, show Hey, everybody is absolutely awesome.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
All right, Scott, thanks a lot for the time. Congratulations
on being able to get the Dodgers to and from Tokyo,
Japan with a lot of help, and congratulations on being
the Dodgers director of travel for a second World Series championship.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Thank you very much to appreciate the opportunity.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
There he goes. Dodgers Director of Travel Scott Akasaki has
been our guest, and we want to remind you about
our friends at Canaan, the world's best polarized sunglasses. Canaan's
lenses are clear, lighter and stronger than other lenses, and
are nearly impossible to scratch. With frames that are handcrafted
in Italy, Canaan Sunglasses elevate your experiences outside with a

(05:23):
degree of clarity beyond your wildest imagination. Visit canaan dot
com for your pair, tim we'll send it back to
you