The Tokyo Series sets an international MLB record with Shohei Ohtani leading the way in breaking many history

The 2025 Tokyo Series, presented by Guggenheim, has become the largest independent overseas event in league history with the return of reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani and four Japanese players, setting new MLB international event ratings, merchandise sales, and attendance records.

Viewership in Japan is at an all-time high
The average viewership of the first game of the Tokyo Series exceeded 25 million, setting a record for the highest single game in MLB on a day, 6 million more than the first game of the 2024 Seoul Series (18.7 million), and nearly 20 million more than the first game of the 2019 Tokyo Series (5.6 million). The average viewership of the second battle was 23.3 million, ranking second in history. With an average viewership of over 24 million, the two games became MLB's most popular series in Japan, up 7 million and 16 million from the Seoul Series (17.2 million) and the 2019 Tokyo Series (7.7 million), respectively.

Exhibition games are also popular: Dodgers vs. Yomiuri Giants have an average viewership of 18 million, setting a record for MLB exhibition games in Japan; The average viewership of Hanshin Tigers is 12.3 million. The Cubs received 5.7 million viewers (vs. Hanshin) and 10.4 million (vs. Giants) respectively for the two exhibition matches. The average viewership of the four exhibition games was 11.6 million.

In the U.S., the opening game of the Tokyo Series (5 a.m. in Chicago and 3 a.m. in Los Angeles) averaged 838,000 viewers on the FOX platform, the best performance in the opening game of MLB Asia and an increase of 139% from the opening game of the 2024 Seoul Series (350,000). The average viewership of the two games was 590,000, an increase of 59% compared to the Seoul series.

Record-breaking sales of goods
The Tokyo Series set a new record for MLB international event sales, up 320% from the 2024 London Series. The official MLB store sales at Tokyo Dome, operated by Fanatics, surpassed previous All-Star Weeks and increased by 105% compared to the 2022 Los Angeles All-Star Game. Spanning more than 30,000 square feet and equipped with 140 cash registers, the Tokyo Dome store sells an average of 1,000 transactions per hour and more than 500,000 items. Shohei Ohtani Tokyo Series Special Edition Dodgers jerseys are the best-sellers, and collaborations with Takashi Murakami, Ralph Lauren and other brands are also on sale.

Fanatics has announced that the Tokyo Series has become the best-selling sports special event in its company history. During the week, more than 200,000 fans patronized the official MLB Store operated by Fanatics.

Tokyo Dome was full and the fan carnival broke records
All six games (four exhibition games + two regular season games) held at Tokyo Dome were sold out, with a total attendance of 252,795. During the Mastercard pre-sale, more than 380,000 people grabbed tickets at the same time.

THE GUGGENHEIM'S MLB TOKYO SERIES FAN CARNIVAL WAS HELD AT THE TOKYO SKYTREE AND ATTRACTED MORE THAN 450,000 FANS OVER 12 DAYS, MAKING IT THE MOST POPULAR FAN EVENT IN MLB HISTORY.

Digital engagement is at a new high
MLB's social media channel has 88.07 million video views, an increase of 75% compared to the Seoul series. Event-related content received 9.17 million interactions, a 50% increase over the Seoul Series. The number of engagements and video views related to the Tokyo Series was 42% and 62% higher than other content in the same period.

For the first time in the MLB app, native Japanese content was launched, and the number of users in Japan increased by 206% compared to the 2019 opening series in Japan, and the number of visits doubled the average daily value of spring training.

Sponsors are deeply involved
This year's event attracted 23 sponsors, and the activation scale increased by 240% compared to the 2024 Seoul Series, setting a record for MLB international events. Highlights include:

• 7-Eleven launched event promotions and advertisements in more than 22,000 stores
• Japan Airlines operates the Otani Dream painted aircraft, and more than 270,000 people participated in a raffle to win tickets to the event
• Asahi produced 2 million cans of event-themed beer, and 448,000 people entered the raffle
• The Ito en raffle attracted 111,000 participants
• Dip launches Shohei Ohtani digital advertising in the Shibuya building

The Tokyo Series was not only Shohei Ohtani's homecoming, but also a milestone in MLB's globalization process. When baseball crosses the Pacific, the passion of fans from East and West converges here, writing a new chapter in sports without borders.