By Park Ki-hyun = A billboard that became a hot topic after Japanese major leaguer Shohei Ohtani (29-LA Angels) destroyed it with a foul home run, prompting the New York Mets to issue a humorous warning, has been sold at auction for about $9.3 million.
The billboard at Citi Field in New York City, home of the Mets, which was destroyed by a foul home run by Ohtani, sold for $70.1 million (about $9.3 million) at auction, according to Japanese media outlet Sportichi Annex.
The billboard, which measures 25 centimeters in both width and height, was auctioned off through MLB’s official auction site.
In August, Ohtani hit a foul home run that just cleared the right-field foul pole, creating a “black hole” in the scoreboard.
Shortly thereafter, the Mets sent out a prank message on the center field scoreboard that read, “Shohei, we’re sending you a bill for vandalizing the scoreboard.” Ohtani responded with a two-run double, and the Angels went on to beat the Mets 5-3.
The billboard’s advertiser, Coors Light Brewing Company, even created a “Broken Billboard Edition” that incorporated the blackened appearance of the billboard from the baseball into its product design.먹튀검증
Meanwhile, Ohtani’s season ended prematurely due to an elbow injury and side pain.
He is eligible for free agency after the 2023 season and was expected to become the first MLB player to sign a contract worth more than $500 million, but his price tag is expected to drop due to the aftermath of his injuries.