The biggest debut in not only Pittsburgh Pirates history but baseball history is happening on Saturday at PNC Park.
Paul Skenes, the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft will take the mound and expectations are high.
On top of being a highly-touted prospect, Skenes is in Pittsburgh with his famous girlfriend, Livvy Dunne.
Dunne is a member of the NCAA Champion LSU gymnastics team and has millions and millions of followers on social media. That following has led to lucrative endorsements and fame.
But if Dunne is anything like Skenes, she isn’t letting the fame get to her head.
Skenes was clam and level-headed in his debut news conference on Friday, a day before his debut.
Dunne was nowhere in sight but we know she’s in town with Skenes.
Dunne is popular with a lot of people that wouldn’t necessarily be considered die-hard baseball fans.
That could lead to the “JV-version” of the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce effect in the NFL.
Dr. Ron Dick, Associate Professor of Sports Marketing, tells KDKA Radio brother station, 93.7 The Fan, that Dunne is the hottest thing in NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) going today.
Will there be a Skenes/Dunne effect in Pittsburgh and other towns that he pitches in with the Pirates?
We’ll have to wait and see.