A Shohei Ohtani bobblehead giveaway at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles attracted thousands of fans on Thursday.
Key points:
- The bobblehead giveaway, which even caused traffic congestion, occurred ahead of a match between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds.
- The game reportedly drew a crowd of 53,527, the largest turnout in the current MLB season and the most at Dodger Stadium since Sept. 20, 2019.
- The Dodgers ultimately lost 2-7.
The details:
- Only the first 40,000 fans received the Ohtani bobblehead. Of those, 1,700 featured the star pitcher in the team’s road gray uniform.
- The bobblehead featured a smiling Ohtani with his bat perched on his left shoulder. It came in a box that depicted him anime-style.
- Resellers quickly capitalized on the popularity of the bobbleheads, reportedly listing them on eBay for prices ranging from $150 to over $2,300.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the Ohtani bobblehead frenzy at the pre-game press conference. “It’s exciting. Shohei certainly creates a stir. I can’t imagine what it’s like outside. It’s good. It’s great for Shohei, it’s good for the Dodgers, it’s going to be a hot-ticket item,” he said.
- The Dodgers have scheduled three additional Ohtani giveaways throughout the season, which will include a hat, a second bobblehead and a shirt. The events commemorate Ohtani’s inaugural season with the team.
