Drew McIntyre & The Miz Join Shaquille O’Neal on the Biggest Sunday in Sports in ‘Mercari Presents The SHAQ Bowl’

Received this press release and thought it was interesting given Shaq’s recent AEW ties. Enjoy!

New York, New York (January 28, 2021) – The biggest Sunday in sports just got SHAQ sized – Shaquille O’Nealis 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, FL in a custom-built SHAQ Bowl stadium, the all-new event will feature professional athletes, celebrities, and A-list stars across two teams competing in fun, viral challenges to win the first-ever SHAQ Bowl Trophy. The live three hour special begins Sunday, February 7, at 3:00 PM ET 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, Twitter and more.

“The Big Game looks pretty different than it has in years past. With no in-person events, I decided to team up with Mercari to create The SHAQ Bowl and connect fans across America on the biggest Sunday in sports,” said Shaquille O’Neal. “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!”

Known as the Big Game Weekend’s most in-demand and buzzed-about event, Shaq’s Fun House returns as The SHAQ Bowl. Hosted by Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, 4x Pro-Bowler Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, and Sarah Walsh, featuring an unrivaled slate of celebrity guests, SHAQ is inviting America to join him for the biggest kickoff event of all-time.

The SHAQ Bowl Halftime Show Presented by Pepsi Stronger Together will feature Multi-Platinum recording artist Migos, DJ Diesel, and a Superstar Special Guest TBA, 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.

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.

Mercari presents The SHAQ Bowl will showcase professional athletes, A-list celebrities, and musical artists in a series of showstopping viral challenges. The full list of participating talent includes:

In addition to the celebrity challenges, Shaquille O’Neal will join in on the fun with one very special challenge:

Mercari, The Presenting Partner of The SHAQ Bowl, connects millions of people across the U.S. to shop and sell almost anything. Aiming to empower the next generation of athletes by giving them access to pre-loved equipment and gear, sellers on Mercari have the opportunity to ‘​Pass the Ball​’ to those following in their footsteps. “Mercari is delighted to bring a new element

of fun to this year’s all-new Mercari Presents The SHAQ Bowl,” said John Lagerling, Mercari US

CEO. “This has been a challenging year for many Americans, and at its core, Mercari is about

connecting people. We look forward to partnering with SHAQ to bring people together across

America in what is sure to be Big Game Sunday’s most exciting event.” The partnership is

highlighted by the forthcoming Mercari x SHAQ Bowl shop, which will offer limited edition SHAQ

Bowl signed memorabilia to benefit The Boys & Girls Club of America. Fans can learn more

about the shop at SHAQBOWL.com.

The SHAQ Bowl Halftime Show Presented by Pepsi Stronger Together – Pepsi’s series of grassroots initiatives bringing tailored programming to communities around the country – will feature Multi-Platinum recording artist Migos, DJ Diesel, and a Superstar Special Guest TBA in a one-of-a-kind performance. In addition, Pepsi Stronger Together is partnering with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to donate $100,000 in grants to help struggling bay-area restaurants. Through the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), Pepsi and the NRAEF will award $10,000 grants to Tampa restaurants – recipients of which will be announced live during the SHAQ Bowl!

“Shaq has been an invaluable partner for Pepsi Stronger Together, helping us give back to communities around the country while inspiring people to take action,” said Derek Lewis, President, South Division, PepsiCo Beverages North America. “We have seen an incredible response in cities from Miami to Memphis, Louisville to Washington, D.C. – from a charitable food drive, a community basketball court refurbishment, to mentorship programs with local universities – and we are thrilled to be able to give back to Tampa Bay small business community with the wildly popular SHAQ Bowl as a platform.”

Papa John’s ​has teamed up once again with Shaquille O’Neal, a ​Papa John’s ​board member and restaurant owner to showcase the brand’s all-new Epic Stuffed Crust. During The SHAQ Bowl, Papa John’s will present a performance from legendary artist Bryson Tiller, known for his 2016 breakout TrapSoul, which paved the way for his musical career while an employee at Papa John’s. Most of all, fans won’t want to miss SHAQ vs Bryson in “The #EpicStuffs Challenge presented by Papa John’s,” where the pair will race to the finish line in a Papa John’s Epic Stuffed Chair, the grand prize of the Epic Stuffs Sweepstakes the company is holding from now until February 14th. To learn how to enter and see rules, visit www.papajohns.com/sweepstakes.

In a year where tailgates are fewer and watch parties are more intimate, BACARDÍ is bringing

game-day excitement to fans at home with its Coco Conga, a delicious coconut mojito, the official cocktail of The SHAQ Bowl. BACARDÍ encourages fans across the globe to “do what moves you” with the cocktail inspired by the brand’s reimagining of the global hit ‘Conga’ releasing this week.

Corona® will present a special segment full of surprises with some of Shaquille O’Neals closest friends.

Skillshare is excited to bring one of its celebrity teachers, Grammy-nominated artist turned cooking icon Kelis, to The SHAQ Bowl. Kelis’ sauce-making class is one of tens of thousands of classes that Skillshare members can explore, including illustration, photography, film, design, productivity, and so much more. In addition to teaching a new skill to each participant and judging their new found mastery, or lack thereof, she’ll also provide recipe demos for viewers at home looking to up their game day sauce regime.

Xersion® activewear, available only at JCPenney, has created the custom jerseys for SHAQ’s celebrity teams which will compete in a series of viral challenges including Tug of War Presented by JCPenney. SHAQ will officiate Tug of War as the teams battle it out in what is sure to be a highlight of the show! Xersion activewear is built for performance and inspires the Motivation to Move, regardless of size or fitness level.

During the trying times of today, the thought of a six-pack is going straight to the store and bypassing the gym. Watch some of your favorite celebrities take on a six-pack challenge brought to you by Emsculpt Neo, the first FDA-cleared 2-in-1 body contouring treatment that simultaneously melts fat while building muscle. Who will survive? Which celebrity contestants will be smart enough to seek out Emsculpt Neo in advance to get 12-16 weeks of HIIT training in, 30% fat reduction and a 25% increase in muscle?

The SHAQ Bowl is produced by Medium Rare, in partnership with ABG Entertainment. Medium Rare’strack record at Big Game Weekend is second to none with some of the most viral events in history including Gronk Beach and Shaq’s Fun House. Now pulling in huge audiences for primetime broadcasts, Medium Rare recently produced The Sports Illustrated Awards, SHAQ vs GRONK, and Black Entrepreneurs Day. This live broadcast merging incredible celebrity fueled challenges, a halftime show, and championship predictions from some of the greatest names in the game, will be no exception as it’s poised to be watched by millions of fans around the country.

“We are incredibly excited to deliver Mercari Presents The SHAQ Bowl to millions of Americans on the biggest day for sports and entertainment of the year. There is a real need for an entertainment driven Big Game kickoff show and The SHAQ Bowl will not only be a warm-up to the Big Game, but a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.” -Joe Silberzweig and Adam Richman, Medium Rare 

“Building off of the success of the innovative events we have co-produced with Medium Rare, we are incredibly proud to unveil The SHAQ Bowl as an extraordinary Big Game show watched by millions of fans around the country and developed in partnership with some of the greatest names in the business,” said Marc Rosen, President – Entertainment at ABG.

The SHAQ Bowl will air live from Tampa on Sunday, February 7th from a brand-new, custom built studio. The live, three-hour special begins at 3:00 PM ET 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, Twitter and more.