Global Baseball and Ohtani's Homecoming: Inside MLB's Tokyo Series
By all measures, the MLB Tokyo Series this March was considerably bigger than a simple pair of early-season games. When the Dodgers and Cubs met at Tokyo Dome, it felt like the entire baseball world was watching. And, frankly, it nearly was—viewership numbers out of Japan were staggering. More than 25 million people tuned in for the opener. This set an all-time high for MLB in Japan and blew past last year's record from the Seoul Series. To put it in perspective, that's more people than watched most World Series games last year. Let's talk about it.
The real star, of course, was Ohtani. Coming home as MLB's biggest name, he delivered in front of a nation that effectively treats him like royalty. In the two-game set, he went 3-for-8, launched a home run that sent the dome into a frenzy, doubled, scored three times, and drove in a run. Every time he stepped to the plate, it felt like an event. The moment wasn't lost on his teammates or his manager; Dave Roberts called it "one of those baseball experiences you never forget."
The business side was equally outlandish. Fanatics reported $40 million in merchandise sales tied to the Tokyo games. Lines wrapped around the block at the stadium's pop-up MLB megastore. By the end of the trip, they had sold over half a million pieces of merchandise. If you wanted a Dodgers Ohtani jersey, you had to battle the crowd.
What stood out, too, was just how much Japanese talent is shaping the league right now. Besides Ohtani, the Dodgers rolled out Yoshinobu Yamamoto, while the Cubs featured Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki. Even fans who showed up for Ohtani left talking about the future of baseball on both sides of the Pacific. As a major league sport, it is refreshing to see strong Asian representation in MLB players.
The Dodgers started the season hot: They took both games, 4-1 and 6-3. But the larger takeaway was what this series means for the league's future. Beyond just promoting their product, the MLB was able to materialize a proof of concept for international baseball. There's a real, growing appetite for these global openers. The bar is high. Next year's international series has a lot to live up to.
And for anyone still wondering whether Ohtani is baseball's biggest draw? Just ask Tokyo. Or better yet, check the receipts.
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