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Is new Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic the NBA version of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani when it comes to economic impact?
When the Mavericks traded Doncic to the Lakers, one of the first things people focused on was the money he’d be losing.
The amount was staggering.
$117 million.
That’s how much Doncic was no longer eligible to make after losing the ability to sign the NBA’s supermax deal, which is only possible after achieving multiple statistical and longevity marks, one of which is playing eight seasons with the same team.
Doncic would have satisfied all the required metrics to make nearly $350 million over five years if he finished this season with the Mavericks, which would have made him the highest-paid player in NBA history.
Not to mention, he’d be moving from a state without income tax, Texas, to a state with one of the highest tax rates in the nation, California.
But as Ohtani and the Dodgers found out last season, when it comes to playing in Los Angeles, all things are possible. Including the ability to make up every dollar he lost and then some.
The Dodgers made virtually all of Ohtani’s $700 million back in his first year with the team. Additional sponsors, marketing opportunities, in-stadium branding and money generated from Japanese investment into the team made it one of the greatest signings baseball has ever seen.
Slovenia is not the same market as Japan. But the TV deal the NBA struck with six Balkan countries in 2019 was hugely impactful, as some of the game’s greatest players are from those nations. Among them, Doncic, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, two-time All Star Nikola Vucevic and Clippers starting center Ivica Zubac.
According to reporting by The Athletic, the Lakers have already seen secondary ticket sales go up, uniform sales increase and internet reaction to Doncic and the team more than double.
In 2023, during his final season with the Angels, Ohtani reportedly made $40 million in endorsements. Last year with the Dodgers, that number was reported to be $65 million. And this year, Ohtani is estimated to break the $100 million mark. That’s a 250 percent increase after just one year in Hollywood.
The star power of Doncic in Europe is undeniable. His marketing appeal may never be greater than it is right now, with the added potential for more media face time in the second-biggest market in the world.
The Balkan region’s TV provider for the NBA, Arena Sport, is focusing exclusively on the Lakers and dropping their request for Mavericks games.
Lakers team apparel will certainly increase exponentially in a part of the world with more than 55 million people. And their next TV deal could do the same, with Doncic being the primary beneficiary.
It’s a glorious time to be a superstar athlete in Los Angeles, and even though the contract figure may not be what it could have been in Dallas, the perks could more than make up for it, not just in the long run, but the short term as well.
