Shohei Ohtani/Decoy Bobblehead: How Did Dodgers Fans React to Snagging Lucrative Giveaway?
Chaos ensued on Wednesday as fans lined up at Dodger Stadium for a free bobblehead that featured Shohei Ohtani and his dog, Decoy. Droves of Dodgers fans began lining up by 11 a.m. to get their hands on the one-of-a-kind bobblehead.
Season-ticket holders are typically among the first to arrive when Dodger Stadium’s gates open to fans at 4:30 p.m. prior to a typical 7:10 game. This might have facilitated the early bobblehead rush.
Several fans were able to collect multiple bobbleheads, which was certainly perplexing to many. However, there may be an explanation for fans who were able to secure several Ohtani and Decoy bobbleheads.
For example: If one fan had tickets for their group of four, and not everyone in the group arrived early, it was possible for that fan to collect all four bobbleheads by scanning their four tickets at the gate, then holding the giveaways for the group until they arrived. Other fans might simply have bought more than one ticket for the game, then re-entered the gate for as many tickets as they were able to buy, collecting a bobblehead each time.
Four hours before first pitch, it was estimated that approximately 20,000 fans were already outside Dodger Stadium.
Approximately 40,000 bobbleheads were made available. That left many fans empty-handed with more than 53,000 fans announced in attendance for Wednesday night’s matchup versus the Baltimore Orioles. As gates opened at Dodger Stadium, fans were eager to see whether they had received the gold version of the Ohtani and Decoy bobblehead, of which only a limited quantity were available.
Fans went straight to social media to show off the iconic bobblehead. Some fans waited hours to get their hands on the promotion, while others had showed up right before first pitch.
The sold-out crowd at Dodger Stadium was able to witness Decoy delivering the first pitch to Ohtani to kick off the night.
The superstar rewarded fans for their efforts by hitting a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first inning. Despite the storybook dinger by Ohtani, Decoy was still the star of the night.
To conclude the memorable day, the Dodgers secured a 6-4 win over the Orioles.
Following the giveaway frenzy, many recepients listed the Ohtani and Decoy bobblehead on Ebay for purchase. The highest price for the gold version of the bobblehead is currently just under $70,000, although no bids have been made.
Dodgers Nation compiled the best reactions to fans getting their hands on the Ohtani and Decoy bobblehead.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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