The Los Angeles Dodgers have already enjoyed the benefits of the then-record $700 million contract they handed Shohei Ohtani last winter.
The two-way superstar led the team to a World Series title in his debut season and brought in an estimated $70 million worth of incremental sponsorship revenue last year. In addition to his contract with the Dodgers, Ohtani pulls in an estimated $100 million per year in endorsements himself.
But Ohtani’s latest brand collaboration, which sees the Japanese superstar become a playable character in the video game “Fortnite,” has garnered some mixed reviews.
In response to a Major League Baseball video teasing the new collaboration, shared by Fox Sports: MLB on X, many fans expressed excitement.
“Can’t wait to see him in action,” wrote one.
“This is great news! What a great day for baseball!” wrote another.
But other fans were quick to criticize the latest crossover exposure for baseball’s biggest international star, using it as a chance to resurface his links to a serious crime.
“Can’t wait to pair the Shohei skin with my other gambling gear,” wrote one X user. “Maybe I will hit legendaries in every chest.”
That user was referring to a 2024 controversy that saw Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, plead guilty to bank fraud and tax fraud in the fallout of a sports betting scandal. Mizuhara had initially claimed that Ohtani was helping to pay off his gambling debts as wire transfers indicated large sums of money were coming out of Ohtani’s bank account.
Ultimately, Mizuhara admitted to stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani, but not before rumors circulated that Ohtani was more directly involved.
Given some of the reactions to Ohtani’s latest high-profile sponsorship, it seems the controversy around last year’s scandal is due to follow him well into the future, no matter where his careers on or off the field go next.
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