The popularity of Ohtani Shohei (29, LA Angels) was not limited to the United States. Seeing Ohtani has become a tourist attraction.
The Los Angeles Times, an American media, reported on the 8th (Korean time), “Ohtani’s star quality is transforming the Los Angeles Angels into an international tourist attraction.”
On this day, the Angels played the home opener of the 2023 season against the Toronto Blue Jays at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, USA. Toronto scored 3 runs in the top of the 7th inning and won the game 4-3.
Ohtani, who came out as the Angels’ designated hitter No. 3, went 4 at-bats with 2 hits and adjusted the feel of the hit. He struck out in both of his first two at-bats, but got on base with a right-handed hit in the bottom of the fifth. Then, in the last at-bat at the end of the ninth inning, the lead batter doubled to create a chance to chase.
The media introduced several fans who came to see Ohtani. A couple from Tokyo, Japan, showed the message ‘I came for my honeymoon’ on a piece of paper torn from a notebook. It is said that they visited Angel Stadium with the determination to see Ohtani, leaving tourist attractions around the world behind.토토사이트
Another crowd of fans from Kyoto came to cheer with fans bearing Ohtani’s face. They say they came only to see Ohtani, with no plans to visit Disneyland, another tourist attraction in Anaheim, or beaches in California.
Ohtani’s home country, Japan, wasn’t the only place where fans visited. A fan from Taiwan said, ‘The day I first met Ohtani! It is said that he was cheering for Ohtani with a picket with the phrase ‘April 7, 2023’ (local time) written on it.
Fans who visited the stadium did not stop here and took pictures in front of Ohtani’s life-size figure. According to the media, about 2,000 fans gathered. In addition, fans who visited for Ohtani visited the Angels’ goods shop and purchased various club items to increase sales.
The media said, “When the Angels won the World Series in 2002, there were no superstars,” and now Ohtani and Mike Trout (32) are forming a pair of horses. In fact, according to the media, at the event held before the game, 5 out of 6 uniforms belonged to Ohtani and Trout.
They were obviously fans of Ohtani, not the Angels. The bride, who had previously honeymooned in Tokyo, said, “If Ohtani leaves the Angels, I will follow him to a new team.”
Ohtani, who will become a free agent after the end of this season, is attracting attention from many teams. If Ohtani is transferred to a new team, the club may experience a global influx of fans as well as a reinforcement.