Shohei Ohtani Bigger Than Michael Jordan Was in Japan, According to Dodgers' Stan Kasten

The Los Angeles Dodgers are arguably the biggest brand in baseball right now, if not all sports. A historic, storied franchise, they won the offseason by signing the sport's biggest star, Shohei Ohtani.

The Dodger brand is significant. So is the Ohtani brand. The two will be partners for at least the next 10 years, and every Dodger fan can't wait to see him playing in his new threads. 

Comparing Ohtani to other baseball stars is a challenge. No professional two-way players have attempted, let alone succeeded, at pitching and hitting full-time since before World War II. 

As a marketable brand, Ohtani's crossover appeal on two continents invites a similar discussion.

Is the Ohtani brand bigger than one of sports' all-time great athletes, Michael Jordan? Los Angeles Dodgers president and part-owner Stan Kasten certainly believes so. Kasten told USA Today's Bob Nightengale that Ohtani's presence is extraordinary, saying Ohatni is bigger in Japan than Jordan was here in the States. 

“I think this is good for baseball,” Kasten said. “The Dodger brand is unique and historic, and now it’s combined with the Ohtani brand, which is unique and historic. People in Japan are telling me that Ohtani is bigger in Japan than [Michael] Jordan was here. His presence is extraordinary. I don’t know who you compare him to, Messi? His presence is extraordinary.

^{(per Stan Kasten via USA Today)}

The latest numbers show that Japan's population is 125.7 million. The United States' is 331.9 million. Ohtani's popularity in the States is boosted by the sheer number of baseball fans.

Ohtani is larger than life in Japan — and now enjoys the same status among Dodger fans, too. There's no denying he warrants the attention he brings to the sport. More popular than Jordan or not is up for debate, but there's no debating whether Ohtani to LA is a perfect fit, as stated by Kasten. 

“I always felt the ideal spot for Ohtani was here. I thought it made too much sense. And when we first got the report of what Shohei was proposing (deferring $680 million of the $700 million), we knew instantly this could work out."

^{(per Stan Kasten via USA Today)}

If Ohtani can do for Dodger swag what Jordan did for the Chicago Bulls a generation ago, Kasten will have no qualms about the size of the Dodgers' financial commitment.