Tom Brady, the charismatic quarterback for the New England Patriots and six-time Super Bowl winner, is probably the one you would say. or Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, a legend in basketball. Perhaps the Golden State Warriors’ sharpshooting star Stephen Curry, who has changed the game on his own in a short period of time.
Or maybe you follow US sports enough to know that the NFL and NBA have salary restrictions and shorter contract terms, which reduce the amount of money their players can make while they are on the books.
Perhaps it’s a baseball player, such as the gregarious Bryce Harper, who just inked a lucrative free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Or Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ golden-armed pitcher. Or one of the many sluggers on the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees.
While certain basketball players, such as the aforementioned James, earn slightly more annually, Trout, 27, will receive a guaranteed $35 million (£27.9 million) salary long after “King James,” 34, leaves the game. This is in contrast to other sports where salaries are not guaranteed.
Furthermore, Trout is most likely worth every penny—and then some—given his on-field performance over the course of his nine-year career. He is currently the best player in baseball and might very well finish among the game’s top players in its 150-year history. He will be included in the hall of fame of baseball legends, with Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Ty Cobb, among others.
Only half of American sports fans are familiar with Trout, according to a survey.
Consequently, why is it that so few Americans are aware of Mike Trout’s fame if he is a baseball icon among regular Americans?
As per the findings of market research firm Q Scores, 22% of the US populace is aware of Trout. Conversely, NFL quarterback Drew Brees and basketball player Stephen Curry are over 50%.
Trout crosses the 50% threshold with sports enthusiasts. However, LeBron James and Tom Brady, for example, are almost well-known. Despite being the self-described “American pastime,” baseball just doesn’t produce recognizable stars like American football and basketball do, which is part of Trout’s issue. Due to regional cable sports networks, the teams and their players have lower media footprints despite the league’s size and abundance of games.
Trout’s dilemma is made worse by the fact that he plays for a California team, and most of his team’s games begin late in the evening for fans on the East Coast. Even though they play in the Los Angeles metropolitan region, the Angels have traditionally been the Los Angeles Dodgers’ little brother—the Manchester City to their Manchester United.
The Angels’ changing moniker is a reflection of the franchise’s identity problems. A player’s game might suffer from time’s ravages or from ordinary slumps even in the absence of injury. The standout player from the previous season was Mookie Betts of the Red Sox, who defeated Trout to win the MVP title. Essays were written about his hitting ability and WAR total, which led the season.
Betts’ stats have plummeted down to earth this season.
Trout, meanwhile, just continues going, happy to avoid the spotlight and give his all in the game for however long he can.
“At the end of my career, I want to be the guy that people say, he was one of the best, if not the best,” said Trout. That’s how I think.