What can one say about Shohei Ohtani’s brand value? This is a man who rules the hearts of 100s of millions of people. From Japan to South Korea to the United States of America, there is no precedent to the kind of craze that Ohtani has. In Japan, the closest to him would be Ichiro Suzuki’s popularity in the early 2000s but even that pales in comparison to the sheer hype that the Los Angeles Dodgers star creates. And this was proved again when the streets of Japan were filled with Ohtani x BOSS billboards.

Shohei Ohtani first came in contact with HUGO BOSS in 2020. The superstar had expressed that it was not just money that attracted him but the brand itself. As a baseball player, he’s used to traveling all the time. BOSS gives him the comfort that he needs. As a result, he quickly became an ambassador of the $3.19 billion company. Since then, Ohtani has done multiple shoots for the brand. 

The first one was in 2020 and then the second one came in 2022. Now it looks like he’s gone ahead and done a third shoot with the company. Shohei Ohtani posted a video of Ohtani x BOSS billboards on his Instagram story. The superstar’s photos were all over the BOSS Showrooms while his billboards covered the streets of Japan. It once again showed the sheer craze that the Japanese fanbase has for Ohtani.

According to Forbes, despite only getting a $2 million salary in 2024, Shotime is expected to earn a total of $62 million this year. With $60 million worth of endorsements already in his hands, Ohtani is continuing his reign as the highest-earning baseball player in the world. From New Balance to BOSS, Shohei Ohtani’s marketability is on a different horizon.

And that’s perhaps one of the biggest reasons why the Dodgers gave him a $700 million contract. Ever since the Two-way phenom’s arrival, the Blue Crew’s brand image has skyrocketed in East Asia.

How the Los Angeles Dodgers got a jackpot with Shohei Ohtani

When the Dodgers were giving Shohei Ohtani $700 million, they weren’t thinking about his on-field talent. They were thinking about the doors of Japan opening for them. Suddenly, they were the biggest team in Japan and then they signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto too. That cemented their position as the premier team to follow for all Japanese fans. Since then, they’ve announced multiple sponsorship deals with Japanese brands.

From ANA, a Japanese airline to Daiso, Toyo Tires, and Kowa, the Dodgers’ portfolio keeps growing. And that is on the strength of a massive brand that is Shohei Ohtani. So with companies from all over Japan wanting their name attached to this juggernaut – a $700 million doesn’t look that big right now, does it? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.