Shaquille O’Neal On The 2021 SHAQ Bowl, Future Goals & More

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the world’s most successful athlete-turned-businessman stories. As an entrepreneur, sports analyst, DJ, restaurateur and brand ambassador, Shaquille O’Neal’s signature “Business of Fun” mantra resonates throughout each of his countless endeavors. The 15-time NBA All-Star’s unprecedented athletic career spanned nearly 2 decades and earned him countless awards and honors, including NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA Rookie of the Year, four NBA Championships and a First Ballot NBA Hall of Famer. Currently, O’Neal is an analyst on TNT’s Emmy Award-winning Inside The NBA, a prolific philanthropist (e.g. Shaq To School, Shaqsgiving, Shaq A Claus), the namesake of the Las Vegas eatery Big Chicken, and regularly referenced as part of All Elite Wrestling’s Dynamite program; AEW fans have been watching a feud between he and Cody Rhodes playing out in public as of late.

O’Neal’s most ambitious project as of late has to be the SHAQ Bowl. O’Neal is set to bring his unrivaled game-day energy to millions of living rooms with the ultimate Big Game Sunday Kick-Off Show: Mercari Presents The SHAQ Bowl. Broadcasting live from Tampa, Florida in a custom-built SHAQ Bowl stadium, the all-new event will feature professional athletes, celebrities, and A-list stars across 2 teams competing in fun, viral challenges to win the first-ever SHAQ Bowl Trophy. The live 3-hour special begins Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 3:00 PM EST and is available for free on Facebook (@SHAQ) and via SHAQBowl.com. Additionally, it will be simulcasted by LiveXLive across 20+ other platforms including LiveXLive, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Twitter. Added O’Neal in a prepared statement released to the media: “We’ve got celebrity fueled viral challenges, plus a superstar musical line-up for our Halftime Show. Be prepared for the most exciting and action-packed kickoff event ever!”

Hosted by Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, 4x Pro-Bowler Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Sarah Walsh, the biggest kickoff event of all-time is indeed slated to feature some big-name musical talent. The SHAQ Bowl Halftime Show Presented by Pepsi Stronger Together will feature multi-platinum recording artist Migos, DJ Diesel and a superstar special guest to be announced later in a one-of-a-kind performance. Plus, Pepsi will present Restaurant Battles, showcasing four local Tampa restaurants live on The SHAQ Bowl competing for a $10,000 grant. Per a statement released by the SHAQ Bowl team: “The Corona brand is bringing beach vibes and game-day excitement to fans at home as The Official Beer and Hard Seltzer of The SHAQ Bowl. Papa John’s is serving up its all-new Epic Stuffed Crust featuring an epic performance from Bryson Tiller presented by Papa John’s. Fans at home will do what moves them and enjoy a BACARDÍ Coco Conga, the Official Cocktail of The SHAQ Bowl.” Synergy indeed.

On January 27, 2021, I had the pleasure of participating in a media conference call and asking a question to Shaquille O’Neal via Zoom, as embedded below. More on all things Shaq — including the SHAQ Bowl — can be found via shaq.com, instagram.com/shaq and shaqbowl.com.

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Tags: AEW, Bryston Tiller, Migos, NBA, Shaq, Shaq Bowl, Shaquille O’Neal

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."