Alex Rodriguez thinks Shohei Ohtani’s contract is bad for baseball.
Now a part of the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves ownership group, Rodriguez was once known for signing the richest contract in sports history when he signed a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers in 2000. The retired star athlete was asked about Ohtani’s $700 million deal to join the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2023 HOPE Global Forums in Atlanta on Dec. 12.
“It’s interesting,” Rodriguez said. “I mean, what you have with Ohtani in basic terms … it’s a great deal for the Dodgers: it’s a great deal for Ohtani. It is, what I believe, a poor deal for baseball — and for 29 other owners.”
Rodriguez used the direct example of how the Dodgers make $250 million in TV money each season while the Miami Marlins bring in $15 million yearly.
“You have two teams that make less than what Ohtani makes per year,” he said. “Ohtani makes $70 million, and you have two teams that paid 26 players under $70 million. That’s not a sustainable model for business.”
“The reason the NFL works so well is parity, right? Everybody gets the same check at the same time. Whether you’re in New York, Buffalo, or Jacksonville, that is a sustainable model where you have shared economics,” the former baseball player stated. “I’m concerned about baseball. How does a team like Tampa compete with the Dodgers? The Dodgers are printing money, and they will continue to print money.”
The comment is a bit ironic, as the “money talks” model has been what many baseball fans would say the New York Yankees have benefited from in the past, especially having legends like Roger Clemens, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira and Rodriguez himself on the same teams throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Rodriguez also shouted out Magic Johnson for being his inspiration for transitioning from successful athlete to businessman. He said he has to constantly grow because when you stop growing, life’s purpose also stops with that. In addition to being an on-air baseball analyst, Rodriguez is now a co-host of Bloomberg’s new podcast and video series, “The Deal.”
Ohtani is 29 years old but is already considered one of the greatest baseball players ever because he’s one of the best pitchers and hitters.
