Haymarket Park has a new attendance record to boast, after a themed Lincoln Saltdogs game on Friday, July 18, drew a blowout crowd and nearly filled the ballpark to capacity.
The old attendance record for Lincoln’s independent professional baseball team was set in 2023 at 8,298 attendees for their “Swiftdogs” theme night, in which tickets to see Taylor Swift in concert were given away. That turnout beat the 15-year-standing attendance record set by the Saltdogs during their inaugural season. But Friday, 8,325 fans packed Haymarket park to see the “Waltdogs” take on the Winnipeg Goldeyes—and get a chance to win a $10,000+ family getaway to Orlando, Florida.
The ballpark’s fire-code ordained maximum capacity is 8,500.
“Start to finish, it was really a magical evening,” said Maria Mickelson, Broadcast House Promotions Director. “The lineup just waiting to get in to the park when gates open went all the way to the street. There were princesses walking around, lots of cute costumes, superheroes and villains. Just so much fun.”
The game against the Goldeyes was also one for the books. Going to the 11th inning, the “WaltDogs” won in a walk-off.
“It just was insanity when they won. Then to be able to go down to the field after and give away this fun, exciting trip was just perfect,” Mickelson said. With such a crowd, the Saltdogs team would be crazy not to try and recapture the magic. “They already are saying, ‘Well, what’s next?’ she added.
KLIN News was not able to scoop what our own Promotions Director is planning next, however, Mickelson assures us she’s fielding some good ideas and she’s “sure we’ll cook up something pretty good.”
“What really made it special was all the people that came out. The fact that the community got so excited to joined us, came out dressed up, brought their whole families, it really made the night into what it was. You can’t do that without having the community behind it.”
See the full photo gallery from Broadcast House’s Kenny Larabee here.