Dodgers Move Home Opener To March 31

The Dodgers Opening Day Game, which was originally scheduled to be played on Friday, April 1, has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 31, at 5 p.m.

From Dodgers.com

The Dodgers announced today that Opening Day has been moved to Thursday, March 31 at 5 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPN. The Dodgers will face their rivals, the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants, in a four-game series, three of which will be televised nationally or regionally.

In addition, the Friday game vs. the Giants will now start at 7:10 p.m. (originally 1:10) and the Dodgers Sleeved Blanket Giveaway will take place on Sunday, April 3rd (originally scheduled for Monday, April 4th). There is no longer a game scheduled for Monday, April 4th.

The game will be called by Dan Shulman and former Dodgers Orel Hershiser and Bobby Valentine.

The change was a compromise to accommodate ESPN, which originally wanted the opener switched to a Giants home game at AT&T Park Thursday night, with the series moving to Dodger Stadium for a Friday day game. The Dodgers opposed that proposal.