ANAHEIM, Calif. — There’s no hiding who’s the pride of the Angels' organization. It’s Shohei Ohtani, the 2021 American League MVP and the biggest star in baseball.

Angels director of ticket sales, Jim Panetta hopes Ohtani fills the seats in Anaheim this season. The team is going crazy with Ohtani ticket promotions.

“He’s the draw,” Panetta said. “Shohei did something in baseball that’s never been done and we just want to get people out to see him and showcase him and have people come out to a ball game and enjoy Angels baseball.”

This season alone, there will be an Ohtani tote bag giveaway, T-shirt promotion, snow globe promotion and three different Ohtani bobblehead nights, including Star Wars night with a Ohtani-Wan Kenobi bobblehead.

“That’s what people want,” Panetta added. “That’s what people are excited about, so we just want to capitalize that and if that helps get people out to a ballgame, so be it.”

It seems to be working. Lifelong Angels fans like Tom Barbish were in line on Tuesday to get some of the very few tickets that remained for opening day. He knows he could be watching the next Michael Jordan of baseball.

“It’s one of those things that you don't really realize it,” Barbish said. “You’re just in the moment and then later on it’s like, ‘Wow, that was a phenomenon.’ Doesn’t really happen too much. I feel blessed.”

Panetta said 94% of season ticket holders have renewed and a number of Japanese media and fans are expected as well with international travel returning to somewhat normal. It will all lead to more ticket sales.

“We’re up across the board,” Panetta explained. We’re trending up in groups, we’re trending up in mini-plans, we’re trending up in season seats, and it’s gotta be attributed to Ohtani.”