Oct 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) watches the flight of the ball after hitting his third solo home run of the game during the seventh inning in game five of the NLCS in the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Dodgers Made Back Shohei Ohtani's Entire $700 Million Contract in His First Season: Report

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Patrick Warren | Last updated Oct 19, 2025 6:30 PM ET

The Dodgers' investment in Shohei Ohtani is already paying off in terms of on-field success. The Dodgers are headed back to their second consecutive World Series thanks to a mind-boggling three-home run, six scoreless innings pitched performance from the two-way star.

However, the lofty Ohtani contract has already been paid off thanks to ticket sales, merchandise and marketing deals in Japan and around the globe, according to reporter Joon Lee.

Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract is enormous, but according to sources, the Dodgers made back the entirety of the contract in Ohtani’s first season in tickets, marketing deals in Japan/global, merchandise.

His impact on baseball’s growth cannot be understated.
— Joon Lee (@joonlee) October 18, 2025

The Dodgers made major corporate partnership deals with several Japanese companies following the signings of Ohtani and starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, partnering with companies such as JTB, Kose and All Nippon Airways among others.

Making back $700 million over the course of less than two seasons is no small feat. Lee explained in detail just how the Dodgers got in the green after signing what was at the time the most expensive contract in MLB history.

"The Dodgers made $750 million in 2024, but I think that underplays the impact that Ohtani is actually having on the team's financial situation," Lee said in a video posted to X. "First, it's hard to understate how enourmous of a celebrity Ohtani is in Japan. He's covered like the president of the country. [...] and that translates to the number of fans that now come to Dodger Stadium straight from Japan."

Lee cited an article from The Wall Street Journal that noted tourism from Japan to Los Angeles is up nearly 90 percent since Ohtani signed with the Dodgers.

In addition to the influx of new fans, the Dodgers have received more attention from major brands who want to be affiliated with the most dynamic player in the game.

"A lot of brands, both Japanese and not, want to be around the Ohtani effect," Lee said. "And while there's a lot of great players in baseball, there's only one Shohei Ohtani and that means there's a massive premium to advertising with the Dodgers."

The Dodgers have proven over the past few seasons that spending money on big players works on the field, with a pair of World Series rings and possibly one more on the way to prove it. However, with Ohtani, their investment has transcended his impact on the diamond.