The Los Angeles Dodgers trip to Japan was supposed to be epic. But what most didn’t expect was for it to be—ICONIC! The sheer love and the grand welcome by the country and the fans have awed everyone. Even before the first pitch of the opening series, the Tokyo Dome had an upsurge of energy. Nori Kawana, who heads the Fanatics East Asia operation, was in disbelief at the love.
The MLB merchandise shattered records, and fans were decked out in blue Ohtani jerseys outside the 31,000-square-foot MLB store.
Now MLB commissioner Rob Manfred knew it was going to be a huge deal in Japan, but even he wasn’t prepped for this. He called it the “biggest standalone international event in the history of Major League Baseball.”
For him, Japan isn’t just a baseball-friendly country—it is a goldmine. With LA fresh off a win, this series couldn’t have gotten any better. But while the hype is real, another fact is that MLB is here to make money. And yes, the money is rolling in!
Manfred expects that the Tokyo Series can bring in $35 million in revenue. “We do believe there are payoffs in the B’s: billions,” Manfred said. This number is record-breaking, and Manfred even compared the event to an All-Star game. And it sure looked like it. Except, this one might just have a more financial edge.
And MLB has no intention of stopping right now. Manfred already has plans to make these global series a regular thing. He wants to tap into the Korean market next, and that’s a huge one too. Also, the World Baseball Classic is ready to return next year, so Japanese fans will get to witness another thrilling competition soon. But the real money lies in media rights.
Manfred wants to cash it in, and right now MLB has ten different TV partners in Japan. But things can change in 2028 when the league renegotiates the broadcasting deals. Manfred’s plan might be to package the international and US media right together and sell it as a massive deal to a streaming giant. This could really bring in billions.
But of course, none of these can happen without players. And recently UCLA professional Mariko Sakakibara made a good point—in Japan, fans don’t watch for teams; they do for players. And as of now, there is no one bigger than the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar!
Shohei Ohtani owns Tokyo as Dodgers kick off series
If you have any other doubts about whether Shohei Ohtani is such big a star– just take a walk now through Tokyo, and all of your doubts will go away. Because Shotime’s face is everywhere. He is towering over Shibuya Crossing on a massive New Balance ad. He is staring at everyone from Seiko posters at the Haneda Airport. And you can even spot him on green tea bottles at Family Mart. Also, you can’t miss the store entrances!
So this Ohtani fever, of course, helped dominate the merchandise. Fanatics sales in Japan make up a staggering 57% over the five years. Nori Kawana, in fact, said, Ohtani is in a league of his own when it comes to being a global star.
But here is the thing—even Shohei Ohtani felt the nerves. “I was actually pretty nervous. It’s been a while since I was nervous, but today, I definitely felt it.”
Dave Roberts too mentioned that he had never seen the Los Angeles Dodgers star nervous. He also said, “One thing I did notice is how emotional he got during the Japanese national anthem. That was something very telling.” To play in one’s nation—that has some other significance altogether. But Ohtani delivered. He finished with two hits—a single in the fifth and a double in the ninth. It was a dream start for the LA, who walked away with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.
Any speculations about Game 2? Let’s have the comments coming…
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