When it comes to sports in Los Angeles, few players are as popular in 2025 as Dodgers MVP Shohei Ohtani.
Sure, there will always be Kobe Bryant, who will likely remain the city’s GOAT for the rest of time, as well as legends like LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Clayton Kershaw, and the like, but when Ohtani made the hour or so drive up from Orange County to cash in his Los Angeles Angles red for Dodgers blue, it instantly made him a legend worth far more than his $700 million contract.
And as such, when the Dodgers have a chance to give a little something back to those fans via a bobblehead commemorating the World Series Champion’s first MVP season in blue and white, you’d best believe fans would pack out Blue Heaven for the honor.
But would you believe that this giveaway would be so in demand that fans would line up hours ahead of the opening pitch to ensure they secured the keepsake? Well they have, with fans crowding the sidewalks from Elysian Park all the way into Chinatown to make sure they had the best chance possible for some “Shotime.”
Fans have lineup up 4.5 hours before first pitch to secure the first Ohtani bobblehead giveaway of 2025. #Dodgers #OhtaniFever pic.twitter.com/sbTPYGVYm7
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) April 2, 2025
Goodness gracious, that is one long line right along a pretty busy road.
While lines for Dodgers game going down into Chinatown are nothing new, as you’d think the turnstiles were in the storied neighborhood for the World Series last fall, based on how eagerly fans lined up to see the event, for a Tuesday afternoon game against a struggling Braves team, with a 5:38 PST start time no less, you’d think this has profound pennant implications.
So why are fans lining up to ensure they get a bobblehead, other than their love of the MVP? Well, for some, the decision comes down to commerce, with multiple Ohtani bobblehead listings already up on eBay for fans unable to attend the event to purchase, most of which are coming in at around $150, give or take.
Are there fans who see this as a chance to catch a free Dodgers game, as they will make the money back in the future off of a bobblehead sale? Maybe so, but one thing is for sure: Lining up for the giveaway might not be as necessary as some might have expected, as the Dodgers announced that all fans in attendance will receive the Ohtani memorabilia, not just the first 40,000 through the turnstiles.
Brutal news for the people who started lining up at 8am https://t.co/6w1urNcTQj
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) April 2, 2025
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