After fighting some troubles to begin the season, Shohei Ohtani led the Los Angeles Dodgers to their eighth World Series Championship.
The Road to Glory
Coming off of his final season as a Los Angeles Angel, superstar Shohei Ohtani was considered the most valuable free agent. Fans knew it would take a lot of cash and convincing to get a player like Shohei Ohtani to want to play for their team. The Los Angeles Dodgers later swooped him up before any other team could put an offer down. Ohtani received a fine payday as the Dodgers handed him the largest contract in sports history at 10 years, $700 million. The Dodgers’ return on investment was immense, as Ohtani continued to dominate what is widely considered one of the hardest sports. The World Series was the only goal going into the season.
MLB fans knew Ohtani was special but never anticipated he would create such a gap between himself and his peers; Shohei Ohtani took over the league when he set a record for being the first player in MLB history to have a season which he posted 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases late in the season (he ended the regular season with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases).
Playoff Run
Entering the playoffs, the top-seeded Dodgers eyed the World Series, chasing a repeat of their 2020 World Series win. The San Diego Padres were the first to face off against the Dodgers in what was a highly anticipated series. Ohtani showed that he was playoff-ready as he blasted a home run in game one at Dodger Stadium.
For the series, Ohtani contributed four hits and four runs batted in as the Dodgers won excitingly in game five. Next, the Dodgers hosted the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani shined, contributing eight hits, five RBIs, and two massive home runs during the pivotal championship series. The Dodgers’ next opponent would be no other than the top seed in the American League, the New York Yankees.
Colossal Matchup
The MLB got their dream World Series matchup featuring the league’s two best teams and massive superstars. Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, the two biggest names in baseball, were prepared for a battle that fans were excited about. In the series, Ohtani was not the sole reason why the Dodgers were where they were, but the Yankees were wary of him. In his first World Series, Ohtani’s presence excited Dodger fans, flooding the stadium with jerseys proudly displaying number 17
Series Recap
Dodger Stadium was a frenzy, creating an extremely hostile environment for the visiting Yankees for the first two games. Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez blasted massive home runs, electrifying the crowd in Games 1 and 2. Ohtani found himself on base in a few important positions, helping the Dodgers take the first two games at home. The Dodgers held a 2-0 lead in the series as they traveled to New York, looking to put the series away. Game 3 went to the Dodgers, but the Yankees fought back, taking Game 4 to extend the series. The Yankees needed a Game 5 victory to survive, while the Dodgers sought to clinch the series. After winning Game 5 and clinching the World Series Championship, Ohtani and the Dodgers got the party started in the Bronx.
Social media posts featuring Shohei Ohtani during and after the World Series far exceeded those of other players. The MLB’s marketing strategy focused on showcasing Ohtani, the best player, as the star of the series. While loyal fans followed Yankees-Dodgers closely, Ohtani’s presence significantly boosted World Series viewership and audience engagement.
Numbers Don’t Lie
This World Series was very successful for the MLB as viewership numbers rose significantly from last year. Despite lasting five games, the series generated huge revenue from viewership, social media, attendance, and merchandise sales. The MLB drew in over 15 million viewers per game, showing a 67% increase from last year’s World Series. However, the increase in viewers didn’t just happen in America, Japan averaged 12 million viewers each game. Despite playing at 9:00 am local time, Shohei Ohtani drew over 12 million viewers across Japan. The series gathered 30 million viewers globally, showing its widespread appeal and international reach.
The MLB saw a 101% increase in views from the 18-34 demographic compared to previous World Series events.
Merchandise
Merchandise sales saw a couple of broken records as Game 1 in L.A. and Game 3 in New York had the highest amount of merchandise sales of all time. The Dodgers specifically broke their record for jersey sales with an increase of over 20% from their last World Series appearance in 2020. After leading the league in jersey sales for the second year in a row, it was no surprise that Shohei Ohtani’s jersey was on every corner.
Social Media
No other World Series has had this much interaction from fans across the world and across many platforms. Total social media engagements reached 14.3 million, a 176% increase compared to the 2023 World Series. On top of that, the total number of video views from all platforms was 160 million, a 209% increase from the 2023 World Series. On YouTube specifically, the MLB garnered over 200 million views, and international viewers contributed 61% of those views. Every platform, from YouTube to Facebook, saw an increase of over 100% in both engagements and views. On X/Twitter, the increase in engagements and views rose over 300%, with Shohei Ohtani being the focus point of many posts.
The Ohtani Era
If Shohei Ohtani stays healthy, there is no doubt that he will emerge as one of the greatest baseball players to ever step foot on a diamond. The MLB will continue to benefit greatly as long as he is leading his team on championship runs and playing at an MVP caliber. Baseball fans will not be able to escape the craze that is Shohei Ohtani, especially if he continues his historic play. There is only one answer to whether Shohei Ohtani is good for the advancement and development of baseball: Yes.
