Shohei Ohtani has absolutely been a box office draw with the Los Angeles Dodgers – so much so that NBA icon Magic Johnson compared him to a legendary singer and performer.
Ohtani, who signed with the Dodgers last season, has hit an NL-leading 54 home runs and will likely claim his third MVP award as he remains the face of the league.
And Johnson, a minority owner of the baseball franchise, believes generations of talented Japanese superstars have had a similar effect as the late Michael Jackson.
“He made everyone on the Dodger team better. Did you know that eight out of ten Japanese fans who come from Japan go to Dodger Stadium? Unbelievable,’ he started on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ via Lakers nation.
‘He is loved all over the world. He’s sold out stadiums… The world is watching, so it’s not just American fans watching baseball, but he’s also bringing in new fans who don’t watch baseball. He is that exciting. So I’ve never seen this anywhere in my life. The only person I can compare is Michael Jackson has this kind of incredible hysteria everywhere he moves and everywhere he goes.”
Shohei Ohtani has been compared to Michael Jackson by NBA icon Magic Johnson
Johnson made the comment earlier this week during a speech on Jimmy Kimmel Live
While it’s unclear where Johnson gets his “eight out of 10” claim, Ohtani and the Dodgers certainly got huge TV ratings.
According to Nielsen data, the team is involved four of the MLB’s 10 most-watched games this season.
That includes a meeting with the Yankees (who have been involved in seven such games) on June 1, which drew a season-high 2.91 million viewers on Fox.
Additionally, there is currently an auction for his historic 50-50 home run ball $1.2 million at Goldin.
While there have been many power hitters over the years, Ohtani’s talent is extremely unique.
He became the first MLB star with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season
He is both a star hitter and pitcher (he is not pitching this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery) and has incredible athleticism to complement his skills at the plate.
Earlier this month, he became the first MLB player to reach 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
The Dodgers have clinched the NL West and Ohtani will look to keep his momentum going in his first postseason appearance.