The United States is distinguished by considerable investments which attract many millionaires and the world of sport is no exception to this trend. In recent years, some of the highest paid athletes in the world have been playing on the other side of the Atlantic. Baseball, one of the most popular sports in the United States, also represents a great source of investment for these billionaires. A prominent example is that of Shohei Ohtani, the talented Japanese player, who left the Los Angeles Angels to join their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, for an impressive contract of 650 million euros over ten years.
He sleeps more than ten hours, does not ignore an interpreter, appreciates Manga comics and is compared to the famous Babe Ruth: Shohei Ohtani, the highest paid in the world.
At 30, Ohtani was until recently the highest-earning athlete in the world. But he was recently surpassed by Juan Soto, who left the New York Yankees for the New York Mets in a trade valued at 726 million euros over 15 yearswhich will allow him to earn around 1.53 euros per second. The figures are impressive: 92.33 euros per minute, 5,540 euros per hour, 132,602 euros per day and 930,739 euros per week, a total of 4.03 million euros per month, or almost 48.4 million per year.
What makes this the largest contract in MLB history isn’t just an extravagant sum; it also includes performance bonuses and advertising revenue. Soto will receive 75 million euros in signing bonus and will benefit from tax advantages. In 2025, the Mets will have to pay more than 114 million euros. If the contract is extended after 2029, his salary could increase by 3.8 million euros per year, bringing the total amount to 765.8 million.
Signed Soto ✍️ pic.twitter.com/l9tl03C6x2
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 12, 2024
The American press reports that Soto was also courted by the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Dodgers, who made an offer of 722.5 million for him to stay with the Yankees. In short order, Soto proved himself, winning a championship with the Washington Nationals at just 21 years old. With a salary of approximately 300,000 euros per game and an output that, if it continues, will see him earn almost a million euros per home run, expectations are high.
Other notable contracts include NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who signed a ten-year, $445 million contract in 2020. In the NBA, Jayson Tatum re-signed with the Boston Celtics for $279,000. 5 million euros over five years, which guarantees him around 57 million per season. Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo receives more than 200 million euros annually from his club Al Nassr, and Lionel Messi receives nearly 60 million euros with Inter Miami in MLS.
JUAN SOTO.
NEW YORK MET. pic.twitter.com/iOrCK1Qdey
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 12, 2024
The Mets, like many teams in the United States, are led by a very wealthy owner, Steve Cohen, who acquired the club in 2000 in an attempt to end their historic title drought. Despite a record of 27 trophies for the Yankees and only two for the Mets, Cohen wants to assert his ambition by hiring talents like Soto. This could prove to be a wise decision, provided the team manages to perform as expected on the pitch.
Juan Soto will become the highest paid player in MLB history ???? pic.twitter.com/dj6jikJojb
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 9, 2024
Cohen, who became the owner of the Mets for 2.29 billion euros, is a seasoned businessman, his fortune now being estimated at 19 billion euros. Director of Point72 Asset Management, he adopts an innovative approach, advocating an entrepreneurial spirit within his team. For the Mets, its ambition to win the World Series in the next five years is an audacious goal, but the question remains whether this considerable financial investment will be rewarded with success on the field.
Opinion Sportive
The phenomenon of astronomical contracts in professional sport provokes in-depth reflection on the real value of athletes. While these amounts may seem excessive at first glance, they take into account the media, commercial and social impact that these players bring to their franchises. Therefore, beyond the numbers, it is important to consider how these investments can transform a team’s identity and redefine the dynamics of a sport within popular culture. The case of Juan Soto and his potential impact on the Mets is a perfect illustration of this duality between financial risk and sporting ambition.
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