In 1957, the US Chamber of Commerce officially announced the National Day of the Hot Dog. Some years later, in 1994, they also decided to organize the National Council of Hot Dogs and Sausages with the National Hot Dog Day and Sausage Council deciding it to fall on the same day as the annual Capitol Hill Hot Dog Lunch, which typically takes place on the third Wednesday of July. This year however it will be July 23. So are we ready?.
For all its innovation and brand creativity baseball has pm;y recently tabbed Nathan’s as its official Hot Dog. We have our flashy national Chevrolet promotions, but the food most closely associated with the National Pastime stills eems to get lost in the promotional shuffle each year.
Now there is no shortage of regional hot dog celebrations in baseball; there are hot dog races and a growing number of teams, from the Diamondbacks’ D-Bat Dog and the Baltimore Orioles’ Mac & Cheese Crab Dog to the Texas Rangers’ “Boomstick” Hot Dog to the Minnesota Twins’ “The Bratdog” have found gastronomic twists on the old, and cheap standby. Also teams have gone with national bands of choice; Ballpark Franks, Sabrett, Dodgers Dogs etc., to drum up interest and revenue, so finding a way to bring all together remains a challenge.
However for one day, a day that got a lot of industry play with the Oscar Meier Weinermobile tooling around cities, maybe MLB could celebrate the Hot Dog, and drum up promotions and contests in cities across the country. It would get great viral play, and maybe could drum up a competition or a competitive eating match or two, and while baseball is more and more about healthy choices, a little indulgent dog by a host of former players could give the day and the dog, and all its condiments, its due.
Now of course there are brand and financial issues with rolling over for “National Hot Dog Day,” but the platform already exists, it got great viral play today, and after all, other than partner Chevy, there is nothing more ties to baseball than a hot dog.
Just some sports business food for thought.
