*By Michael Teich* One team is bringing crypto to the baseball diamond. The LA Dodgers will hold what is considered to be the first-ever crypto giveaway in sports when they take on the San Diego Padres Friday night. Fans will have a chance to receive digital bobbleheads that double as crypto tokens. After unlocking the Dodgers' coin within an Ethereum wallet, they’ll have the opportunity to download a digital caricature of one of three players: Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, or Kenley Jansen. “Hopefully, what we're going to see is the start of a new market of collectibles within digital assets,” Ralph Esquibel, the team's VP of Information and Technology, said Friday in an interview on Cheddar. Esquibel said the adoption of blockchain will bring new life to the world of collecting. Collecting sports memorabilia isn't just a hobby, though. It's also a $5.4 billion industry in the U.S., according to research from [collectable.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidseideman/2018/09/19/tech-entrepreneur-determines-first-true-estimate-of-sports-memorabilia-market-5-4-billion/#497ea8df52e8). For now, the Dodgers will not be introducing crypto as a currency to buy peanuts and crackerjacks ー or even tickets to games. But Esquibel sees those options as a possibility for the future. “I don’t believe we’re ready for it, as of yet," he said. The crypto integration is one example of how major league sports teams are trying to lure fans off the couch and into stadiums and improve the venue experience. Teams in other leagues ー like the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and the Atlanta Falcons ー are slashing concession prices. The Ravens’s director of guest experience told Cheddar that he hopes M&T Stadium’s 33 percent price reduction on certain foods and beverages will increase fan engagement and boost [ticket sales](https://cheddar.com/videos/strengthening-nfl-stadium-experience-with-cheaper-food). While the Dodgers are focused on the next big thing in sports memorabilia, Esquibel reassured fans of collectibles that the new crypto tokens won’t replace traditional bobbleheads. At least not for now. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/la-dodgers-bring-crypto-to-the-baseball-diamond).

Share:
More In Business
‘Chainsaw Man’ anime film topples Springsteen biopic at the box office
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
Flights to LAX halted due to air traffic controller shortage
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing defense workers on strike in the Midwest turn down latest offer
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
FBI’s NBA probe puts sports betting businesses in the spotlight
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla’s profit fell in third quarter even as sales rose
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
Load More