{"id":882,"date":"2025-10-30T00:52:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T00:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/?p=882"},"modified":"2025-10-30T00:52:57","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T00:52:57","slug":"882-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/882-2\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"a-article-grid__header\">\n<h1 class=\"article-title \/\/ a-font-primary-bold-xxl u-line-height-1@tablet u-padding-t-075@tablet lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase\">How Shohei Ohtani Made $102 Million in\u00a02025<\/h1>\n<div class=\"a-article-grid__author  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-padding-tb-025\">\n<div class=\"author \/\/ lrv-u-font-size-12 lrv-u-width-100p@mobile-max u-padding-tb-050@desktop-max u-align-self-center\">\n<div class=\"lrv-u-align-items-center lrv-u-flex lrv-u-font-family-primary \">\n<div class=\"u-flex@tablet lrv-u-align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"lrv-u-flex lrv-u-align-items-center lrv-a-glue-parent a-show-on-hover-parent \">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  a-hidden@desktop-max lrv-u-border-radius-50p lrv-u-overflow-hidden u-width-75 lrv-u-margin-r-125\">\n<div class=\"a-crop-1x1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"a-article-grid__author  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-padding-tb-025\">\n<div class=\"author \/\/ lrv-u-font-size-12 lrv-u-width-100p@mobile-max u-padding-tb-050@desktop-max u-align-self-center\">\n<div class=\"lrv-u-align-items-center lrv-u-flex lrv-u-font-family-primary \">\n<div class=\"u-flex@tablet lrv-u-align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"u-margin-l-2@tablet\"><time class=\"c-timestamp  lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-display-inline-block u-display-block@mobile-max\" datetime=\"2019-09-03\"> October 24, 2025 8:00am <\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"a-article-grid__social lrv-u-margin-l-auto@tablet lrv-u-flex\">\n<div class=\"social-share lrv-u-align-items-center lrv-u-flex\">\n<ul class=\"social-share-items lrv-a-unstyle-list lrv-u-flex u-flex-wrap-wrap a-space-children--2 a-space-children--1@mobile-max lrv-a-space-children-horizontal\" data-collapsible=\"collapsed\">\n<li class=\"\"><a class=\"lrv-a-unstyle-link lrv-u-border-color-grey-light lrv-u-display-block u-display-inline-flex u-color-facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?title=How%20Shohei%20Ohtani%20Made%20$102%20Million%20in\u00a02025&amp;sdk=joey&amp;display=popup&amp;ref=plugin&amp;src=share_button&amp;app_id=318364469333596&amp;href=https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/personalities\/athletes\/2025\/shohei-ohtani-2025-earnings-los-angeles-dodgers-contract-1234874646\/\" rel=\"facebook\"> <span class=\"lrv-a-screen-reader-only\" data-label=\"c_icon_link_screen_reader_text\">Facebook<\/span> <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><a class=\"lrv-a-unstyle-link lrv-u-border-color-grey-light lrv-u-display-block u-display-inline-flex u-color-twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/post?url=https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/personalities\/athletes\/2025\/shohei-ohtani-2025-earnings-los-angeles-dodgers-contract-1234874646\/&amp;text=How%20Shohei%20Ohtani%20Made%20%24102%20Million%20in%C2%A02025&amp;via=sportico\" rel=\"twitter\"> <span class=\"lrv-a-screen-reader-only\" data-label=\"c_icon_link_screen_reader_text\">Twitter<\/span> <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><a class=\"lrv-a-unstyle-link lrv-u-border-color-grey-light lrv-u-display-block u-display-inline-flex u-color-linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=1&amp;url=https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/personalities\/athletes\/2025\/shohei-ohtani-2025-earnings-los-angeles-dodgers-contract-1234874646\/&amp;title=How%20Shohei%20Ohtani%20Made%20$102%20Million%20in\u00a02025&amp;summary&amp;source=sportico\" rel=\"linkedin\"> <span class=\"lrv-a-screen-reader-only\" data-label=\"c_icon_link_screen_reader_text\">Linkedin<\/span> <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><a class=\"lrv-a-unstyle-link lrv-u-border-color-grey-light lrv-u-display-block u-display-inline-flex u-color-print\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/personalities\/athletes\/2025\/shohei-ohtani-2025-earnings-los-angeles-dodgers-contract-1234874646\/\" rel=\"print\"> <span class=\"lrv-a-screen-reader-only\" data-label=\"c_icon_link_screen_reader_text\">Print<\/span> <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"\" data-collapsible-toggle=\"\"><a class=\"lrv-u-border-color-grey-light lrv-u-display-block u-display-inline-flex u-color-black\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/personalities\/athletes\/2025\/shohei-ohtani-2025-earnings-los-angeles-dodgers-contract-1234874646\/#\" rel=\"plus\"> <span class=\"lrv-a-screen-reader-only\" data-label=\"c_icon_link_screen_reader_text\">+ additional share options added<\/span> <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"a-article-grid__main lrv-a-grid a-cols3@desktop u-grid-gap-3@desktop lrv-u-border-color-grey-light u-border-t-1@tablet u-padding-t-150 u-padding-t-050@mobile-max\">\n<article class=\"lrv-a-grid-item a-span2@desktop u-max-width-100p lrv-u-margin-b-1@desktop u-margin-b-2@desktop-max\">\n<div class=\"featured-image \/\/ u-margin-lr-n10@mobile-max lrv-u-margin-b-1\">\n<figure class=\"o-figure   lrv-u-max-width-100p\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \">\n<div class=\"lrv-a-crop-16x9\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1\" sizes=\"(min-width: 100rem) 1600px, (min-width: 90rem) 1440px, (min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 1280w, https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1&amp;resize=300%2C169 300w, https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1&amp;resize=1024%2C576 1024w, https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1&amp;resize=125%2C70 125w, https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1&amp;resize=681%2C383 681w, https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1&amp;resize=450%2C253 450w, https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1&amp;resize=910%2C511 910w, https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ohtani_Celebrates.png?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1&amp;resize=1000%2C563 1000w\" alt=\"Shohei Ohtani\" width=\"\" height=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-flex-direction-column lrv-u-font-family-primary lrv-u-font-weight-bold lrv-u-font-size-14 lrv-u-margin-t-050\"><span class=\"\">In addition to his $2 million salary, Ohtani will earn $100 million this year from endorsements, merchandise and licensing. The tally is 10x what anyone else in MLB will earn off the field.<\/span> <cite class=\"lrv-u-font-weight-normal lrv-u-font-size-10 lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase lrv-u-color-grey lrv-u-margin-t-025\">Illustration by Lorenzo Gordon. Photo by Getty Images<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"a-content a-content--left-space lrv-u-position-relative lrv-a-floated-parent lrv-u-font-family-body lrv-u-line-height-large lrv-u-font-size-18 u-color-black-16\">\n<div class=\"pmc-paywall\">\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"><a id=\"auto-tag_shohei-ohtani_1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/t\/shohei-ohtani\/\" data-tag=\"shohei-ohtani\">Shohei Ohtani<\/a> has been a baseball unicorn since he joined <a id=\"auto-tag_mlb_1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/t\/mlb\/\" data-tag=\"mlb\">MLB<\/a> in 2018. Even when he stayed off the mound in 2024, he started a new 50-50 club (home runs and steals) on his way to a third MVP by unanimous vote. Last week, his unique skill set <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/leagues\/baseball\/2025\/shohei-ohtani-los-angeles-dodgers-nlcs-game-4-1234874076\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">was on display again<\/a>, with three home runs at the plate and 10 strikeouts over six shutout innings on the mound, clinching the <a id=\"auto-tag_los-angeles-dodgers_1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/t\/los-angeles-dodgers\/\" data-tag=\"los-angeles-dodgers\">Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a>\u2019 return to the <a id=\"auto-tag_world-series_1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/t\/world-series\/\" data-tag=\"world-series\">World Series<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">For all his baseball talents, Ohtani might be a bigger unicorn off the field.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-smTRb\" title=\"Top 15 Highest-Paid MLB Players in 2025\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/smTRb\/1\/\" height=\"530\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Stacked Bars\" data-external=\"1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">Ohtani is on track to earn $100 million this year through endorsements, merchandise and licensing. The tally is 10x what the No. 2 athlete in baseball, Bryce Harper, is set to make. The only other instance of a similar disparity between the top two athletes in a major sport over the past 30 years was when Usain Bolt was at his peak, making $30 million a year, 10x anyone else in track and field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">Ohtani\u2019s off-field haul made it an easier decision to defer 97% of his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/personalities\/athletes\/2023\/shohei-ohtani-dodgers-contract-details-700-1234757983\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">record-breaking $700 million<\/a> Dodgers contract without interest. He earns $2 million a year in playing salary for 10 years and then will collect $68 million annually between 2034 and 2043.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-Pw4nw\" title=\"Shohei Ohtani Total Cash by Year\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/Pw4nw\/1\/\" height=\"400\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Column Chart\" data-external=\"1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">Before Ohtani, endorsement earnings for MLB players topped out at around $10 million for Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki. Ohtani\u2019s $100 million from sponsors is a threshold reached by only three athletes ever: Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Stephen Curry, who each did it once.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">Ohtani added a half-dozen companies this year to his endorsement portfolio, along with several renewals after his inaugural season with the Dodgers elevated his global standing even further. His existing major sponsors included Ito En, Kowa, Kos\u00e9 and Seiko, and he added Beats, Epic Games and Secom for 2025. Ohtani is the first MLB player to be included in Epic\u2019s\u00a0<em>Fortnite<\/em>\u00a0video game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">He has more than 20 brand partners, divided almost evenly between being companies headquartered in the U.S. versus Japan, but almost all the brands use him globally. New Balance is his biggest pact, where his deal is more akin to a global NBA superstar shoe deal than anything in baseball. He has his own clothing and shoe lines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\u201cWhat we\u2019re doing with him has never been done in the game of baseball,\u201d Nez Balelo, Ohtani\u2019s agent at CAA, said at <em>Sportico<\/em>\u2019s Invest West event in May. Balelo said they are strategic with Ohtani and constantly eschew deals from reputable brands. \u201cWe have to make sure we don\u2019t overexpose him,\u201d Balelo said. \u201cWe have to make sure we don\u2019t put him in a situation that is too heavy of a lift.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">Ohtani ranked second among baseball\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportico.com\/personalities\/athletes\/2025\/mlb-highest-paid-players-2025-soto-ohtani-1234843642\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">highest-paid players<\/a> this year at $102 million; Juan Soto finished on top at $129 million after signing his 15-year,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/story\/_\/id\/44302586\/shohei-ohtani-nervous-playing-tokyo-dodgers-win-opener\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">$765 million<\/a>\u00a0free-agent deal with the New York Mets that included a $75 million signing bonus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How Shohei Ohtani Made $102 Million in\u00a02025 October 24, 2025 8:00am Facebook Twitter Linkedin Print + additional share options added In addition to his $2 million salary, Ohtani will earn $100 million this year from endorsements, merchandise and licensing. The tally is 10x what anyone else in MLB will earn off the field. Illustration by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=882"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":883,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882\/revisions\/883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingcooper.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}