Another Ohtani Accolade: Shohei Driving Home Dodgers, MLB Ticket Sales
Friday, March 15, 2024 at 02:25PM By Barry Janoff
March 15, 2024: Shohei Ohtani is not only MLB’s MVP, he is also its MVTS — Most Valuable Ticket Seller.
When Ohtani signed with the the Los Angeles Dodgers in December it drove ticket sales for the already high-profile Dodgers to another level.
“Ohtani’s (move) resulted in massive demand, making the Dodgers the best-selling team on StubHub,” moving up from No. 8 last year to No. 1, dethroning the New York Yankees, according to the online ticket marketplace.
StubHub said it saw an increase by 25-times in daily searches for the Dodgers the day after Ohtani’s signing announcement on Dec 9.
The Dodgers' home opener in Dodger Stadium, hosting the St. Louis Cardinals on March 28, is the top-selling game of the season on StubHub.
The Dodgers also have five of the Top 7 most in-demand non-home Opening Games entering the season.
They are also the most in-demand team on the road.
MLB knew it had a gold mine in Ohtani and the Dodgers by sending the team and the San Diego Padres to Gocheok Sky Dome stadium in Seoul — the league’s first regular-season games in Korea — for the official 2024 season-opening games on March 21-22 (ESPN 6 AM ET). The venue seats nearly 16,800 and is sold out for both Dodgers-Padres games.
A series of exhibition games are also being played.
The. Dodgers have the highest average price of tickets sold for their away game schedule, including three of the Top 4 most in-demand road games: 1. Dodgers at Yankees (June 8), 3. Dodgers at Yankees (June 7) and 4. Dodgers at Chicago Cubs (April 6).
The Cubs at the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers (March 3) ranks as No. 2.
Japan-born Ohtani is also driving MLB International ticket sales, with Japan the No. 1 international market for MLB tickets outside of the U.S. and Canada on the StubHub platform.
“The appeal of watching Shohei Ohtani on his new team is especially strong, particularly among fans from his home country of Japan," Adam Budelli, spokesperson for StubHub, said via the company.
"Sales are up league-wide on StubHub as MLB's international popularity grows. We're seeing the widest global representation among ticket buyers compared to any other season start.”
Although no longer No. 1 on StubHub’s Most In-Demand list, the No. 2 Yankees are driving 43% more sales on the platform than last year’s season start.
At No. 3, the Atlanta Braves are outselling last year by 34% on StubHub.
The Philadelphia Phillies, at No. 4, have achieved their “highest rank ever among the top in-demand teams in StubHub preview history. This is a significant increase compared to their rankings in past seasons, which were No. 5 in 2023, No. 9 in 2022, and No. 7 in 2019.”
The Phillies are outpacing last year’s sales by nearly 80% on StubHub.
World Series teams are experiencing jump in popularity: The Rangers are currently the No. 3 trending team.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are seeing sales nearly four-times higher than last season on StubHub.
Ticket buyers from 64 different countries have already purchased MLB tickets on StubHub for this season, which StubHub said is the highest number in its history.
Top In-Demand MLB Teams
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. New York Yankees
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Philadelphia Phillies
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Boston Red Sox
7. Texas Rangers
8. St. Louis Cardinals
9. San Francisco Giants
10. Houston Astros
Based on number of tickets purchased on StubHub North America and viagogo international marketplaces by buyers in that country for MLB regular season games for the 2024 season, as of March 15, 2024.
Top In-Demand MLB Home Openers
1. Cardinals at Dodgers March 28
2. Cubs at Rangers March 28
3. Marlins at Cardinals April 4
4. Braves at Phillies March 28
5. Blue Jays at Yankees April 5
Based on number of tickets purchased on StubHub North America and viagogo international marketplaces by buyers in that country for MLB regular season games for the 2024 season, as of March 15, 2024.
Top In-Demand MLB Games (after Home Openers)
1. Dodgers at Yankees June 8
2. Cubs at Rangers March 30
3. Dodgers at Yankees June 7
4. Dodgers at Cubs April 6
5. Braves at Phillies March 30
6. Cardinals at Dodgers March 31
7. Cardinals at Dodgers March 30
8. Yankees at Red Sox June 15
9. Diamondbacks at Braves April 6
10. Reds at Dodgers May 17
Based on number of tickets purchased on StubHub North America and viagogo international marketplaces by buyers in that country for MLB regular season games for the 2024 season, as of March 15, 2024.
Top International Markets for MLB Tickets (outside of the U.S. and Canada)
1. Japan
2. United Kingdom
3. Australia
4. Mexico
5. Taiwan
Based on number of tickets purchased on StubHub North America and viagogo international marketplaces by buyers in that country for MLB regular season games for the 2024 season, as of March 15, 2024.
Top Trending MLB Teams
1. Arizona Diamondbacks (+300%)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (+250%)
3. Texas Rangers (+200%)
4. Toronto Blue Jays (+120%)
5. Cleveland Guardians (+100%)
Based on teams with the highest rate of increase in cumulative StubHub ticket sales for the 2024 season, as of March 15, 2024, in comparison to sales ahead of the 2023 season.
Number indicates the percentage increase in ticket sales.
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