National Hot Dog Day Returns…With An International Twist…

Maybe we think its July 4th, when Joey Chestnut and all the newer faces again dominated the airwaves at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating  Contest and beyond, but in reality, National Hot Dog Day is actually the third Wednesday in July, and this year falls just after MLB All-Star Game and as we head towards the final of World Cup.

Although Nathan’s Famous served as the league’s first-ever official hot dog sponsor from 2017 to 2019, that partnership has since concluded. Major League Baseball has not renewed the league-wide designation with any brand. Instead, individual ballparks now operate with their own localized vendor and concession deals. Good read via Tasting Table. For example, Yankee Stadium offers Nathan’s Famous, while other iconic local offerings include Fenway Franks in Boston or Dodger Dogs in Los Angeles. And for a history of ballpark mustard, click here.

 We have our flashy national Chevrolet promotions, but the food most closely associated with the National Pastime, the hot dog, sometimes gets lost. However, the World Cup boost has done wonders for this slice of Americana. Venues have leaned into localized and global-inspired twists on the traditional American hot dog to cater to traveling fans:

• MetLife Stadium (New Jersey): Serving a stadium-exclusive “Ripper Hot Dog,” an homage to a Jersey classic (deep-fried to ripping point) topped with pineapple salsa, ketchup mayo, and crispy potato sticks.
• Pink’s (Los Angeles): Rolled out “The Beautiful Game Dog,” a 12-inch jalapeño dog loaded with chili, nacho cheese, guacamole, and jalapeños.
• Houston Stadium: Sold tens of thousands of hot dogs as fans flocked to matches over the course of the tournament. ]

Fans and officials alike have weighed in on the food experiences. FIFA President Gianni Infantino even made international headlines by joking he would personally deliver a hot dog and a Coke to anyone purchasing a $2M resale ticket for the World Cup Final in New Jersey. No need but a good touchpoint

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.

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…heck even do some fun things at next Tuesday’s All-Star Game, 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..