Bobbleheads of Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani are given to fans before a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Los Angeles, Thursday, May 16, 2024.
18:15 JST, May 17, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first Shohei Ohtani bobblehead giveaway of the season drew heavy traffic outside Dodger Stadium on Thursday, drawing long lines of eager fans.
Cars snaked along the roads around Chavez Ravine and stadium parking lots quickly filled two hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Cincinnati Reds in a city known for fans who show up late and leave early. A line of fans waited on the sidewalk outside the main gate before it opened.
“Shohei is causing a stir,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “I can’t imagine what it’s like outside. It’s great for Shohei and it’s good for the Dodgers.”
Only the first 40,000 fans received the bobblehead, which depicts a smiling Ohtani with his bat above his left shoulder. The design of the box features Japanese anime.
The giveaway drew a sellout crowd of 53,527 people – the largest in the Majors this season and the most at Dodger Stadium since September 20, 2019.
“It’s going to be a hot-ticket item,” Roberts said. “The more I see him every day, the more I realize how special a person and a ball player he is.”
On eBay, the Ohtani giveaway was offered for $150 and up, with sellers advertising it as new in the box.
As a surprise, 1,700 road gray bobbleheads were randomly mixed into the giveaway. One was listed on eBay for $2,300.
Game tickets went from $168 to $388, including fees on Stubhub.
Roberts and the rest of the Dodgers didn’t have to worry about getting their hands on the souvenir. Before the game, there were boxes in each player’s lockers.
“I get one for every bobblehead night,” Roberts said, “so I have quite a collection.”
The Dodgers have three other Ohtani giveaways scheduled this season to mark his first year with the team after he spent six seasons in Anaheim with the Angels. They offer a hat, a second bobblehead and a shirt.
