'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Shohei Ohtani's impact on the baseball world has been resounding. The new Los Angeles 'Dodgers' star will be seen in a lot of action at the Dodger Stadium as fans gear up to get a glimpse of the two-way phenom.
Ohtani reportedly signed a 10-year $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers after six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. That makes him easily the highest paid professional athlete in North American sports history, with the next best contracts averaging around $50 million a year.
Throughout the last three seasons, Ohtani pulled a lot of coverage from his on-field performances, which the Angels heavily reaped benefits from. That will directly transfer to the Dodgers, who will want to make the most of it through merchandise sales, special meet and greets and especially ticket prices at the Dodger Stadium.
Trending
As reported, the Opening Day seats for the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals has skyrocketed from an initial $228 to $359. Even the home plate seats have reached the $3,500 mark.
With Shohei Ohtani playing his first game at his new home, all tickets are expected to be sold out despite the high prices.However, some fans are bemused, as they believe the ticket prices demanded are unaffordable.
They took to X, formerly called Twitter, to express how immensely overpriced the tickets are for the general audience.
"Great for baseball? No it is not. Its obscene. I love Ohtani, but he directly contributed to this. Baseball will be out of reach for most of the citizens of Los Angeles. He got all he could get," one fan lashed out.
"That's a lot of money just to see Lars Nootbaar own them on opening day," one fan hit out at the Dodgers.
Here are a few other reactions on X:
Shohei Ohtani's record-breaking debut season opening month schedule
If Shohei Ohtani decides to skip Spring Training altogether, he will make his regular season debut with the Dodgers in Seoul when they play the division rivals San Diego Padres in the MLB World Tour.
He will start his domestic home season against the Cardinals before playing the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays, all teams who pursued him, in April.
