Shohei Ohtani should be able to feed himself in spite of his heavily backloaded contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As revealed by Sportico, the four-time MVP is projected to make $125 million in endorsements in 2026, up from $100 million a year prior.
Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Stephen Curry are the only active athletes to ever surpass $100 million in endorsement earnings in a single year, according to Sportico. But, as the website notes, Woods’ inflation-adjusted $160 million in earnings in 2009 is still regarded as the bigger accomplishment.
As for retired athletes, Michael Jordan’s MJ Nike brand helped him to earn a reported $300 million in royalties back in 2024.
Ohtani’s current $700 million deal with the Dodgers included a reported $680 million in deferrals to be paid after the contract’s expiration date from 2034 to 2043. By taking just $2 million in salary in each of the 10 seasons of the deal, Ohtani helped the Dodgers to preserve some financial flexibility.
As a result, LA has added a number of high-priced stars, including former Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs slugger Kyle Tucker, who inked a four-year $240 million deal before spring training that also includes $30 million in deferred payments.
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is projected to make $125 million in endorsements in 2026
Ohtani is New Balance’s top athletes and he has his own exclusive line with the brand
An advertisement for Seiko Watch Corporation featuring international baseball star Shohei Otani outside a store in the Ofuna district of Kamakura, Japan, on Saturday, June 15, 2024
Ohtani has no shortage of sponsors.
Japan Airlines, watchmaker Seiko, Japanese multinational conglomerate Kowa, skincare brand Kosé, fashion label Hugo Boss and internet job agency, Dip, have paid Ohtani as an endorser.
However, it’s New Balance that remains Ohtani’s biggest benefactor. The Boston-based athletic apparel brand has given Ohtani his own signature collection, which is expected to grow in the coming years.
Perhaps due to his appeal on both sides of the Pacific, Ohtani’s $125 million in endorsements dwarfs his MLB rivals, according to Sportico.
New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and the Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper are both set to earn $9 million in 2026, Sportico reports. The New York Mets’ Juan Soto is reportedly set to take an additional $7 million.
