The popularity of the LA Dodgers seems to be worldwide. In particular, thanks to Japanese star players such as Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, the 'Tokyo Series' has been a box office success.
Japanese sports media Sports Hochi reported on the 21st, "Ohtani's popularity is tremendous. Sales of souvenirs during the Major League Tokyo Series reached an astonishing 6 billion yen (about 590 million won)."
According to the media, over 200,000 fans visited the MLB store operated by 'Fanatics' in Tokyo within a week. Sales of MLB Tokyo Series commemorative goods reached $40 million (about 590 million won).
From the 18th to 19th, the Major League World Tour Tokyo Series was held at Tokyo Dome in Japan. The result was that the Dodgers won both games. A two-game winning streak. In the first game on the 18th, they won 4-1, and in the second game on the 19th, they won 6-3.
Regardless of the outcome, it was a success. Dodgers player Ohtani, along with Yamamoto, Sasaki, Cubs player Shotani Imakawa, and Seiya Suzuki, all played in front of their home fans. The two opening games each drew a sellout crowd of 42,365 and 42,367.
According to Sports Hochi, before the opening game on the 18th, more than 2,000 fans waited to enter the official MLB store inside Tokyo Dome. Before the second game on the 19th, more than 1,000 fans stood in line.
The media noted, "On the Fanatics official application, most products sold out within 15 minutes due to their popularity."
It is believed that such popularity is largely due to Ohtani's influence. According to Forbes, a U.S. economic magazine, last year, the Dodgers earned $70 million in new sponsorship revenue thanks to Ohtani.
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