MILWAUKEE – This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited-edition Marquette Milkshake Basketball Bobblehead. The bobblehead celebrates the Marquette Men’s Basketball team’s tradition under coach Shaka Smart of having milkshakes following a road win. Last night, #4 Marquette defeated #23 Illinois for the team’s first road victory of the highly anticipated 2023-24 season. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of Marquette University.
Standing on a rectangular base with a basketball court surface, the Iggy bobblehead, wearing a blue No. 77 jersey with his name on the back, is holding a large milkshake in one hand and a basketball in the other. The scoreboard backing shows another Marquette victory on the road. The front of the base and the basketball that Iggy is holding both feature the Marquette logo.
Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,023 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in February, are $40 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.
Under third-year coach Shaka Smart, the Marquette men’s basketball team toasts every victory away from home with celebratory milkshakes. It’s a tradition that Smart brought to Marquette from previous coaching stops at VCU and Texas. In Smart’s first two seasons at Marquette, the Golden Eagles posted 19 road or neutral court victories. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Golden Eagles usually go for options like Shake Shack, Baskin-Robbins, or Chick-fil-A milkshakes to accompany the postgame food spread. Occasional local shops, like Gordon’s Milkshake Bar in Indianapolis when Marquette clinched the 2022-23 regular-season Big East Conference title outright, are blended into the mix. MU’s support staff tries to get the shakes delivered via DoorDash to the arena an hour after the opening tip. If the team loses, the ice cream-based treats are discreetly distributed to arena workers.
When Marquette captured the 2023 Big East Conference Tournament championship with a 65-51 victory over Xavier at Madison Square Garden, Smart responded, “Cookies and cream, baby!” when asked how he planned to celebrate. After Marquette defeated Vermont, 78-61, in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, CBS Sports sideline reporter Jamie Erdahl brought out a milkshake for her postgame interview with Smart and sharp-shooting guard Kam Jones. Smart told Erdahl the team’s milkshakes were waiting for them back at the team hotel, and said the milkshake was all hers. “On national TV, I want you to take a sip,” Smart said. After Erdahl sampled the shake, she responded, “It tastes like victory.”
“We are excited to release this unique bobblehead to recognize the Marquette men’s basketball team’s unique postgame milkshake tradition,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Winning games on the road is difficult in any sport. For Marquette to accomplish the feat 20 times at the start of Coach Shaka Smart’s third season is impressive. Marquette fans can now celebrate along with the Golden Eagles during the 2023-24 season with this must-have bobblehead!”
About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.