Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Latest News

Shohei Ohtani in the World Series sparks major excitement in Japan, attracts viewership rivaling the US

The excitement was evident in a Tokyo bar on Wednesday morning, Japan time, as fans chanted for their homegrown hero.

“Shohei! Shohei! Shohei!” erupted in Fields Shibuya, a sports dining bar, as the All-Star player stepped to the plate against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series, later turning into deafening cheers when the Dodgers’ designated hitter ripped a single.

“Ohtani’s performance is high level,” said Ryosuke Matsumoto, 22, who was among the crowd in the sports bar. “I’m very happy that a Japanese player is doing so well in the Major Leagues. That’s how I became a fan. I’m proud of him.”

There would be little else for fans of Ohtani and the Dodgers to cheer for in Game 4, as the Yankees prevailed 11-4, but the excitement is sure to return for Game 5 on Wednesday (Thursday morning in Japan) at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

The appearance of Ohtani in this year’s edition of the World Series has captivated Japan and emerged as a television ratings phenomenon.

Earlier this week, the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Yankees in Game 2 drew an average of 15.9 million viewers, marking it as the highest-rated Major League Baseball postseason game in Japan’s history, according to the press release.

“Ohtani is an honorable person in Japan. Everyone shouts Ohtani, Ohtani, and it makes me extremely happy. We never had any Japanese person like that before. It’s our dear Ohtani,” said Mamoru Tanaka, a manager of the bar.

The first two games of the seven-game series between the Dodgers and the Yankees, averaged of 15.15 million viewers in Japan, according to Major League Baseball  — at times, more viewers than in the US. Japan’s population is approximately 124.5 million compared to the US, which has a population of about 334 million, as of last year.

The viewership in Japan is even more notable, given that the event aired during daytime hours.

“Since it’s on a weekday, people are watching the game between work or school. Young people are looking at the scores on social media. A lot of people can’t watch, and I think most of the people watching the game live are elderly people,” said Matsumoto.

When combined with US viewership, the first two World Series games have averaged 29.7 million viewers across the two countries.

For Game 3 in New York, the World Series drew an average of 13.6 million viewers in the US, making it the most-watched Monday night World Series game since 2013 – reflecting a heated enthusiasm also in the US, according to Fox Sports.

The excitement around Ohtani extends well past the TV screen.

Even viewers in the US can see a growing influence throughout the season. The logo for Daiso, a Japanese retail chain, would regularly be seen in center field as home runs were captured on TV footage.

MLB has shown a remarkable 225% increase in social media engagement, with views across various platforms rising by 229%, the league reported, reflecting the growing excitement surrounding the World Series and its star players.

The excitement in Japan for the Dodgers is not only about Ohtani. The team added Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto last off season on a 12-year, $325 million deal.

Yamamoto was the winner of Sunday’s Game 2, throwing 6 1/3 innings while only allowing one hit to the vaunted Yankee offense – all contributing to the fan enthusiasm in Japan.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News And Articles.






    Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

    You May Also Like

    Stock

    In this edition of StockCharts TV‘s The Final Bar, Dave shows how breadth conditions have evolved so far in August, highlights the renewed strength in the...

    Stock

    Major equity indexes rose on Friday after a selloff that hit the Technology sector especially hard. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is...

    Latest News

    President Joe Biden travels to Triangle, Virginia, Monday to mark Earth Day, where he’ll unveil $7 billion in grant funding for solar power under...

    Latest News

    Britain’s Prince and Princess of Wales have released a new photo of Prince Louis to mark his sixth birthday on Tuesday, the first image...

    Disclaimer: Dealwithbiz.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2024 Dealwithbiz.com