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New Balance Drops Iconic Ad Celebrating Shohei Ohtani MVP Award

New Balance celebrated the announcement of Shohei Ohtani winning the MVP Award.

Pat Benson

New Balance athlete and Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani has won NL MVP.
New Balance athlete and Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani has won NL MVP. / New Balance
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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani has once again etched his name into baseball history with his third MVP award. Ohtani continues to cement his legacy as one of the greatest and most talented players to play this game.

In a press release, New Balance officially congratulated Ohtani on this historic season and wanted to recap some of the great collaborative products and content from this legendary run. 

The Boston-based brand known for having fun also dropped an epic post on social media. "The Man. The Myth. The MVP." 

In a year where injuries prevented him from pitching, Shohei joined the 50/50 club, hitting 54 home runs, stealing 59 bases, and winning the World Series with the Dodgers in his first season, and now National League MVP.  

"We at New Balance are honored to have Shohei in our athlete family and congratulate him on this legendary season. He is a once-in-a-lifetime competitor and individual," said Evan Zeder, Director of Global Sports Marketing/Baseball.

Zeder continued, "It has been a dream come true for us to co-author products, strategies, and content with Shohei this season. We look forward to the future with this incredible person and player with New Balance."

Ohtani first signed New Balance in January 2023. In June 2024, New Balance officially released the Shohei Ohtani Signature Collection. The collection included his first signature shoe - the New Balance Ohtani 1.

The launch of the Ohtani 1 is where versatility meets high performance. With insight from Shohei and created for the unique needs of the two-way player, the cleat was designed to sit closer to the ground, allowing for more leverage and a more forceful push-off.

Comfort and durability are covered through the integration of FuelCell foam and a raised triangle pattern along the toe box. A premium TPU upper adds superior durability for consistency throughout the long season.

The Ohtani 1 launches in two classic colors, white with gold and black with gold, and will be available in metal cleat and turf styles. Additional on-field performance drops for the collection are expected this Winter.

The Ohtani 1 became part of baseball history as Ohtani wore it throughout the season and the World Series. The cleats he wore to reach the 50/50 milestone feature his dog Decoy and are now in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The brand has continued to support him during this historic season, including celebrating his 50/50 milestone by creating custom content and gifting him a key to the 50/50 Club.

Ohtani said, "I have a deep respect for the heritage of baseball and the sport itself, and I love that the collection pays tribute to the traditional old-school style while bringing a new-school twist.

Ohtani concluded, "Every item can fit an athlete's wardrobe on and off the field and collaborating with New Balance to capture that perfect balance was such an exciting moment for me."

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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