Mar 24, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (R) talks with starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (L) during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

mlb

Fans say ‘just stay home’ as Tokyo Series tickets reach shocking $20,000

The Shohei Ohtani effect?

Okane in Japanese means money. And if you want to watch Shohei Ohtani live in Japan, get ready to collect lots and lots of okane, because the resale prices for the Tokyo Series are absolutely outrageous.

Tokyo Series tickets range from approximately $1,476 to a jaw-dropping $20,822 on resale platforms.

Tokyo Series tickets cost how much?! 😳 pic.twitter.com/C0bBD0MWYk
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 7, 2025

Back in January, the Los Angeles Dodgers released a limited number of tickets to eligible season-ticket holders for their season opener at the Tokyo Dome against the Chicago Cubs on March 18-19. Those tickets sold out quickly, and now, a few of them have surfaced on secondary markets with staggering price tags.

On StubHub, tickets for Game 1 of the two-game series are listed between $2,000 and well over $10,000. No, not ¥10,000, but $10,000, U.S. dollars. The “cheapest” seat available as of January 28 is listed at $2,080 in the centerfield bleachers. Meanwhile, the most expensive seat, behind home plate, is listed for a whopping $18,011.

For Game 2, the get-in price is just over $1,600, with the most expensive ticket behind home plate going for over $19,000.

This series isn’t just the defending World Series champions on an international tour; it’s a homecoming for Ohtani and fellow Japanese MLB stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga, and Seiya Suzuki. With three of those players suiting up for the Dodgers, Japan finally has a true MLB team to rally behind.

ALSO READ: Shohei Ohtani pitching update: Dodgers halt rehab, return timeline pushed back

Last year’s Seoul Series peaked at resale prices of $1,500, making the Tokyo Series look even more absurd by comparison.

To make things even more exciting, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to start Game 1 for the Dodgers, while Roki Sasaki is set to take the mound for Game 2, setting up an electric start to the MLB season.

ALSO READ: Watch: Roki Sasaki stuns in eye-popping spring training debut

As expected, fans had some strong reactions to the outrageous ticket prices, with responses ranging from disbelief to frustration. Some flat-out said, “just stay home,” while others lamented that they wanted to attend but simply couldn’t afford it. Others questioned whether MLB even wanted fans in the stands at these prices.

They don't want fans to come.
— Iniabasi Paul (@iniabasipaul) March 7, 2025

Way too much
— Albert (@Lakeshow_323) March 7, 2025

I wanted to go but can’t afford it
— @RoysanPHD (@RoysanPHD1) March 8, 2025

Bro wth just stay home
— DepressedUSCfan (@al_x4109) March 7, 2025

Regardless of the sticker shock, expect some of the most electric crowds in recent memory. The Seoul Series between the Dodgers and Padres was a massive success last year, and this has literally all the makings of an even bigger spectacle.

Cubs

Dodgers

Roki Sasaki

Shohei Ohtani

Shota Imanaga

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.