MLB

Shohei Ohtani Contract: How Has He Impacted The Dodgers And The Economy?

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Dan Girolamo
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Dan Girolamo Sports Editor

Dan is a multifaceted content creator who specializes in sports, pop culture, and entertainment. His entertainment work has been featured on Digital Trends, where he has interviewed Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alison Brie, Adam DeVine, Sadie Sink, Chris O'Dowd, Machine Gun Kelly, and Frank Grillo. Dan's entertainment work has also been featured on Coming Soon, Hidden Remote, and WatchMojo. Dan's other passion in life revolves around sports, graduating from Marist College with a degree in Sports Communication and Journalism. From columns about the latest in New York sports to gambling predictions, Dan continues to find success in written and broadcast journalism. Previous written work can be found at Unafraid Show, while broadcast clips can be seen on WAVE.tv and CBS Sports.

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Published4 hours ago on October 09, 2024

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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) at bat.

Before the 2024 MLB season, Shohei Ohtani signed a historic 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani agreed to deferred payments, meaning he will make $2 million per year until 2034 and then $68 million annually from 2034-2043. Ohtani has lived up to the contract on the field. However, how has it impacted the Dodgers and the economy?

Shohei Ohtani’s Contract Impact On Dodgers And Economy

Joe Pompliano broke down Ohtani’s impact in his first year with the Dodgers.

The Dodgers led the MLB in attendance with 3.94 million attendees, averaging 48,657 fans per game. That’s head and shoulders above the MLB’s second-highest attendance, the 3.3 million from the New York Yankees.

Ohtani finished the 2024 season with the most popular jersey in the MLB.

Although the Dodgers have to share portions of their ticket and jersey sales due to MLB policies, the team still generates millions in profit from these two avenues.

Then, there’s the rise of Japanese sponsorships. The Dodgers welcomed 12 new Japanese sponsors at their stadium. What’s even crazier is that Japanese companies bought advertising in road stadiums and local networks where the Dodgers play.

The Dodgers generated over $30 million in revenue, the most out of every professional sports team in North America.

Tourism also soared in Los Angeles, with the LA Tourism Board estimating that 80%-90% of Japanese tourists stopped by Dodger Stadium at least once during their trip to the “City of Angels.”

Shohei Ohtani’s Impact On The Field

It goes without saying that Ohtani is the best player in the National League. When he pitches, Ohtani is also the best player in the MLB.

This season as a DH, Ohtani rewrote the record books. Ohtani became the first player in MLB history with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases.

Ohtani’s final regular season numbers: .310 average, 54 HRs, 130 RBI, 59 SB, and a 1.036 OPS.

Ohtani propelled the Dodgers to an MLB-best 98-64 record.