Originally posted Tuesday, December 11, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Shaquille O'Neal, part-time Atlantan and big-time NBA analyst for TNT, is jumping onto the Super Bowl party train with his party at the Battery featuring Migos, Lil Jon and T-Pain on February 1, two days before the game.
The event will be held at Live at the Battery tavern and in the streets surrounding the venue right outside SunTrust Park. About 2,000 tickets will go on sale Thursday.
"I do a podcast at the Battery every week and love the area," said Shaq in an interview, referencing his podcast with 680/93.7/The Fan host John Kincade called "The Big Podcast With Shaq."
Conceptually, “there are two things that bring people together: sports and music,” Shaq said. “I have a connection with both. And this is all about having fun. A lot of Super Bowl parties are people standing around bored. This will not happen at my party.”
And since the popular athlete wants a carnival-type atmosphere, there will be carnival games, rides and Cirque Du Soleil dancers. Plus, he hand-picked favorite eatery options such as STK Steakhouse and Waffle House.
He did a test run VIP party in Miami in March with similar elements and in this case decided to open it to the public.
Tickets start at $249 apiece but will include food, open bar, attractions and performances, VIP tickets start at $999 and provides access to Shaq's VIP tavern with lounge seating, a fast entrance lane, dedicated VIP premium open bars, premium food and extra events. (You can buy tickets here.)
And don’t worry: even if you get the lowest-priced tickets, Shaq will not hide in the VIP area. The 7 foot 1 NBA Hall of Famer will be shaking hands and taking selfies with the masses. “You’ll definitely see me,” he said.
The prices might sound steep, but this is Super Bowl weekend where general admission tickets just to see Aerosmith and Post Malone Friday, Feb. 1 at State Farm Arena start at $150 apiece while Cardi B and Bruno Mars at the same location on Saturday, Feb. 2 start at $225 each. Migos and Ludacris are a bit more reasonable with the lowest ticket prices at $95 at State Farm Arena on Thursday, January 31. Jermaine Dupri is offering free concert options at Centennial Olympic Park during the week as well.
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