PHOENIX.- The impressive 10-year, $700 million contract that Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers has some similarities with the agreements of top sports stars such as Lionel Messi y Cristiano Ronaldo.
In marketing terms, experts compare him to another celebrity.
Taylor Swift.
The singer with global appeal is an unusual phenomenon that the baseball player shares. There is no doubt that the Dodgers They hope to take advantage of the Japanese star and help them generate more profits for a franchise that is already one of the most popular of the franchises. Big leagues.
“He was launched into his own stratosphere,” said the agent Leigh Steinberg.
Ohtani was expected to sign the largest deal in the history of the MLB as a free agent and he did not disappoint. He is the best player who plays as a pitcher and hitter—not even Babe Ruth he did it at the same time so effectively — and although he will not be able to pitch in 2024 after undergoing surgery Tommy John, It will surely be of great value on the plate.
But its price of 700 million exceeded all forecasts.
His annual average of 70 million is 62% higher than the previous maximum of 43.3 million shared by pitchers Max Scherzer y Justin Verlander and that they signed with the Mets. It is also almost double what he earned in six campaigns with the Angelina 42.3 million a year. It’s even higher than the entire payroll of Baltimore and Oakland.
Dodgers know about the reward:
The reason why Dodgers they committed this way is simple: it’s worth it. Not only to help them win the World Seriesbut for its value even if it doesn’t make it.
“If you market Ohtani well, he’s a global icon“, he assured Mike Lewisprofessor of marketing Emory University and who specializes in sports. “Baseball has had trouble attracting global attention, but it’s a guy that appeals to millions of people and not just in USA”.
Los Dodgers have had no problem attracting attention in recent years. They are a successful franchise—winning 10 of 11 Western Division titles. National League and the World Series 2020—in addition to having the best attendance average of 47,000 fans per game. Also, they spent big to attract stars like Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts y Clayton Kershaw.
But nothing compares to Ohtani.
In addition to the increase in attention on social networksfans know that Ohtani will generate profits in ticket salesdealerships and t-shirt sales.
No other player generates so much global attention, especially in his native Japan, a nation of 126 million baseball-obsessed people.
For the Dodgers, This global attention will mean that more companies in USA and other countries will want to advertise with the team. This will lead to a cascade of money that can help pay for a portion of Ohtani’s deal.
Ohtani with many options:
For creatives in the advertising industry, the possibilities are endless.
There lies the comparison with Taylor Swift.
Swift dominated 2023 due to “The Eras Tour” global tour. But she took marketing to another level with a tour film that motivated millions of fans to attend theaters. Additionally, fans became obsessed with everything related to the singer, including her romance with the NFL star, Travis Kelce.
Ohtani could be a star of similar proportions. In free agency it generated similar hysteria. Fans tracked private planes and sightings to try to figure out where it would land. Like Swift, Ohtani also had his own documentary.
There are other factors, he is an athlete who keeps a low profile. There is no controversy around it and It has a clean image that attracts potential business partners.
Incredible home runs. Possible dominance on the mound. A script made in Hollywood that the Dodgers They hope it comes true.
Source: AP
