OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The fans came out to see the Eli Young Band take the stage to kick off the 2019 College World Series with thousands in the crowd warming up to the concert before the greatest show on dirt begins Saturday.
Fans also could hang out earlier in the day, with all eight teams taking batting practice and signing autographs for anybody that wanted them.
“By watching all of them, how they move and how they play,” says Justin Otis, an 11-year-old fan.
A group of kids from Arizona were playing in their own tourney in Council Bluffs this week. They’re hoping to eventually be the guys playing at T.D. Ameritrade Park.
“Just playing out here and then we see these guys and it’d be cool to get out here when we’re older,” says, Jose Bingochen.
Plenty of folks here have been here before, with some Mississippi State fans coming back after getting close last year. They knew they were coming as soon as the Bulldogs clinched their berth.
“It’s on, we were booking our plane tickets and hotels that night about midnight,” says fan Matt Hall.
One reason they like it here, the shiny ballpark, which reminds them of home.
“This place in here, it’s easy to see and I think (Mississippi) State pretty much fashioned their stadium like this, it’s built a lot like this,” says Hall.
Other teams haven’t been here in a long time, with Michigan making their first berth since the mid 80’s. With one family driving 10 hours, through the night, because they just couldn’t pass it up.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, well it’s been a few years anyway, and we’re just big fans of any of their sports and we had an open weekend, I thought a great Father’s Day gift, he turns 16 soon so it’d be a great gift all in one,” says Novacik.
