TOKYO (AP) — Hundreds of fans at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, who lined up 10 deep and hoped to catch a glimpse of Shohei Ohtani as he arrived on Thursday, saw nothing of the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar.
What they saw was a 40-meter-long (130 feet) temporary white wall to shield the players in case they came through the arrival area. The Chicago Cubs exited this way when they arrived late Wednesday night.
The Dodgers were seen on the tarmac disembarking from their charter from Phoenix, and Ohtani was one of the first off. But the players didn’t make it to the arrival area, apparently taking an escape route.
The next chance to see Ohtani and the Dodgers will be Friday when the teams open practice at the Tokyo Dome.
The two-game series to open the MLB season is Tuesday and Wednesday, early evening starts in Tokyo. Games will go live in the early morning the same day in North America. Japan is 13 hours ahead of the American east coast.
Fans waited for hours inside the terminal, hoping Ohtani might show. Many carried signs of welcome. One was a bright yellow board that read, “I love LA.” Others wore Dodgers caps and shirts and other garb.
Several times excited fans reached high with smartphones, thinking Ohtani had arrived. It was always a false alarm — they mere passengers from other flights.
Patient and polite, fans eventually departed the reception area when it was clear that Japan’s most famous citizen would not appear.
Most fans were hopeful, but realistic.
“I just came hoping for any chance I might see him. But I knew, probably not,” Satoshi Yoshii, a local accountant, said. “But you come with hope because of who he is.”
Misaki Ueta came with her husband Reishi and a friend, Ryusei Takahashi. The two men wore Ohtani’s No. 17 Dodgers jersey.
“We just came to be able to breathe the same air,” Misaki said. “The Ohtani air.”
Others came for the event — like a rock concert.
“I don’t care if I can’t see him because I’m not really a fan of Ohtani,” Kotomi Miyakoda said. Standing alongside was her friend, also Kotomi — Kotomi Nakatsu.
“I’m not a fan but I want to see him, the person,” Nakatsu said.
This is billed as the Japan Series by MLB. It also could be billed as the Marketing-Ohtani-in-Japan Series. Ohtani is MLB’s most marketable asset.
This is the second straight season that MLB has opened its season in Asia. Last year it was South Korea with the Dodgers and San Diego Padres, and where the gambling scandal broke around Ohtani’s interpreter.
Cubs vs. Dodgers
The teams come to Tokyo with five Japanese players. The Dodgers have Ohtani and pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. The Cubs come with designated hitter Seiya Suzuki and pitcher Shota Imanaga.
Imanaga and Yamamoto are expected to oppose each other on Tuesday in the first game.
The American clubs will face the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers in exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday.
Marketing the Dodgers in Japan
Chris Marinak, MLB’s chief operations officer, talked with The Associated Press in an interview about the advatanges of having a player like Ohtani.
“It helps to have a generational talent like Ohtani — essentially the best player in the game — to be from a different market,” Marinak said. “It changes how you can communicate about the game in different markets.”
It’s not difficult. Japan has adopted the Dodgers as its national team. There has always been a strong connection but now it’s rock soild since Ohtani won the World Series with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have set up an exhibition in central Tokyo called “Dodgers Experience at MLB Tokyo Series.” Fans can see the World Series trophy and championship rings.
There’s also a chance to view the Dodgers’ rich history, dating to Brooklyn before the team moved to Los Angeles to start the 1958 season. There are also interactive experiences where fans can try to hit an Ohtani pitch.
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami has also designed artwork around the series. His work will also be on display during the series.
Not a cheap ticket
Tickets on resale sites have been listed at as much as $20,000 for a single game. Many tickets for resale are more in the $2,000-$8,000 range.
Reselling tickets for above the face value is technically illegal in Japan. The government approved the rule before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
