Shohei Ohtani: World Series sparks excitement in Japan, draws ratings that rival US

On By Littum

Tokyo (CNN) — Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani has turned millions of Japanese residents into fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers, so much so that more than a tenth of the country’s population tuned in to the World Series, giving the Fall Classic better TV ratings in Japan than in the United States.

The excitement was palpable in a Tokyo bar on Wednesday morning, Japan time, as fans chanted for their homegrown hero.

“Shohei! Shohei! Shohei!” erupted at Fields Shibuya, a sports bar, when the All-Star stepped to the plate against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series, and later erupted into deafening cheers when the Dodgers’ designated hitter ripped a single.

“Ohtani’s performance is at a high level,” said Ryosuke Matsumoto, 22, who was in the audience at the sports bar. “I am very happy that a Japanese player is doing so well in the Major Leagues. That’s how I became a fan. I am proud of him.”

There would be little else for fans of Ohtani and the Dodgers to cheer about in Game 4 as the Yankees prevailed 11-4, but the excitement will surely return for Game 5 on Wednesday (Thursday morning in Japan) at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

The appearance of Ohtani in this year’s edition of the World Series has captivated Japan and emerged as a television ratings phenomenon.

Tomoyuki Masuda, of Kyoto, Japan, watches Los Angeles Dodgers batting practice before Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees on Oct. 29, 2024, in New York.
Customers select a T-shirt at a pop-up store for Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani prior to the first game of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees in Tokyo, Japan, on October 25, 2024.

Earlier this week, the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Yankees in Game 2 drew an average of 15.9 million viewers, marking it as the highest-rated Major League Baseball postseason game in Japan’s history, according to the press release.

“Ohtani is an honorable person in Japan. Everyone calls Ohtani, Ohtani, and it makes me extremely happy. We have never had such a Japanese person before. This is our dear Ohtani,” said Mamoru Tanaka, a manager of the bar.

The first two games of the seven-game series between the Dodgers and Yankees averaged 15.15 million viewers in Japan, according to Major League Baseball – sometimes more viewers than in the US. Japan’s population is approx. 124.5 million compared to the United States, which has a population of about 334 million, since last year.

The viewership in Japan is even more remarkable as the event was broadcast during daytime hours.

“Since it’s on a weekday, people see the struggle between work and school. Young people look at the results on social media. A lot of people can’t watch, and I think most of the people watching the fight live are older people,” Matsumoto said.

Combined with ratings in the United States, the first two World Series games have averaged 29.7 million viewers in the two countries.

For Game 3 in New York, the World Series drew an average of 13.6 million viewers in the U.S., making it the most-watched Monday night World Series game since 2013 — reflecting heated enthusiasm in the U.S. as well, according to Fox Sports.

The excitement surrounding Ohtani extends well beyond the television screen.

People watch Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game 4 of the baseball World Series between the Dodgers and the New York Yankees during a public viewing event in Ohtani's hometown of Oshu, northeastern Japan, on October 30, 2024.

CNN recently reported that a wave of Japanese tourists in Los Angeles has intensified after Ohtani joined the Dodgers from the Los Angeles Angels’ cruiserweight at the beginning of the season – a record $700 million contract over 10 years.

A leading Japanese travel agency told CNN it booked up to 200 customers from Japan for every Dodgers home game this season. The Dodgers jumped on the Ohtani phenomenon by adding 12 new Japanese sponsors, providing Japanese-language stadium tours and introducing a number of new menu items specifically designed for Japanese fans to the fan experience.

Even viewers in the US can see a growing influence over the course of the season. The logo of Daiso, a Japanese retail chain, will regularly be seen in the center field as home run was caught on television recordings.

MLB has seen a remarkable 225% increase in social media engagement, with views across various platforms up 229%, the league reported, reflecting the growing excitement surrounding the World Series and its star players.

The excitement in Japan for the Dodgers isn’t just about Ohtani. The team added Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason to a 12-year, $325 million deal.

Yamamoto was the winner of Sunday’s Game 2, throwing 6 1/3 innings while allowing just one hit to the notorious Yankee offense — all contributing to the enthusiasm of the fans in Japan.