Some people haven’t hidden their surprise after learning MLB star Shohei Ohtani will land a contract in excess of $500 million.
That would shatter the existing record for biggest contract in MLB so far, belonging to Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal in 2019.
These people need to understand that Ohtani is not your average free-agent signing.
He is the single most influential person in baseball and has been for a while.
No one has done the things he does on a routine basis.
No one has dominated MLB hitters from the mound and MLB pitchers at the batter’s box like him in the same season.
This has made him a folk hero, and a massive public figure in Japan, America, and the world.
Ken Rosenthal, an MLB insider, detailed the business and marketing side of signing Ohtani in a recent podcast appearance.
“He is a cultural phenomenon, the biggest thing in baseball. A transcendent figure in the sport,” he said before discussing marketing value and other variables.
“It’s not just a baseball decision with Shohei Ohtani.” @Ken_Rosenthal weighs in on the marketing impact of signing Shohei Ohtani,” Foul Territory tweeted with a short clip of Rosenthal’s remarks.
“It’s not just a baseball decision with Shohei Ohtani”@Ken_Rosenthal weighs in on the marketing impact of signing Shohei Ohtani
https://t.co/cuvzQikIPt pic.twitter.com/fGCQlvuGT8
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) December 1, 2023
He used a comparison with Aaron Nola, who happened to be one of the best pitchers available on the market.
He stated that he was signed almost exclusively for baseball reasons.
However, Ohtani brings a lot more to the table from a marketing and PR standpoint, and that’s why his expected price tag is so large.
That, and the bidding by multiple interested teams.
The post Insider Breaks Down The Magnitude Of Signing Shohei Ohtani appeared first on The Cold Wire.