Elijah Southwick
@ecsouthwick
Shohei Ohtani’s $680 Million Contract Deferral
Shohei Ohtani just signed the most mind-boggling contract in American sports history. Not only did he command a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the MLB’s biggest markets, but he will reportedly earn just $2 million per year for the duration of his contract. That means $680 million of his contract will be deferred until after the duration of his deal.
Ohtani’s decision is unprecedented, giving the Dodgers a chance to field the best player in baseball in Ohtani while still pursuing other high dollar players to win World Series titles. The impact of Ohtani’s $680 million contract deferral may not be felt for years, but one thing is certain: Ohtani’s contract will change the baseball free agent market forever, and has the chance to bleed into other sports’ financial systems as well.
NFL Awards Super Bowl LX to Los Angeles
The Super Bowl will be back in SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in 2027, just five years after it hosted its first Super Bowl in 2022. While it was no secret that SoFi Stadium would be a priority location for future Super Bowls, it’s still relatively surprising that the league would host its biggest event again in Los Angeles so quickly after its first opportunity to do so.
Las Vegas, New Orleans, and the 49ers’ home field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California will host the next three Super Bowls. Then, it will be LA’s time in the spotlight once again. Notably, Los Angeles will be hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup matches and 2028 Summer Olympic events with a Super Bowl in between. Southern California has firmly staked out its claim as one of the world’s biggest sports hubs.
Antetokounmpo drops career, franchise record 64 points
Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 64 points in his team’s 140-126 home victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. Antetokounmpo shot 20-28 from the floor and added 24 points at the free throw line. His 64 points broke the Bucks’ franchise record of 57 points set in 2006 by Michael Redd.
Controversy surrounded the accomplishment when after the game, Pacers players took the game ball with them to the team locker room. Antetokounmpo was animated on the court after the final buzzer sounded, trying to find the game ball. The Pacers would later say that they were intending to give the game ball to rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first career points in the contest. The situation appears to be resolved with the Pacers returning the ball, but Antetokounmpo claims he still doesn’t know if he received the actual game ball.