By Jack Keenan
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OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — For 75 years, the Men’s College World Series has been synonymous with Omaha, a tradition that has transformed the city into a mecca for college baseball fans.
The series, which began in 1947 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, found its permanent home in Omaha in 1950, and local leaders say it’s here to stay.
“Going to Omaha, it’s called ‘The Road to Omaha’ for a reason,” said John Diesing, president and chairman of College World Series of Omaha Inc., the nonprofit that has partnered with the NCAA to host the event since 1967.
The tournament’s journey to Omaha was not without challenges. After brief stints in Kalamazoo and Wichita, Kansas, the NCAA struggled to find a stable host.
“The NCAA was having trouble finding a home for college baseball,” Diesing said.
In 1950, Omaha stepped up with a new stadium and a bold promise: “We’ll take over the responsibility of hosting the championship with you, and if there’s any negative aspects from a cash flow standpoint, we’ll cover it,” Diesing said.
“And, as they say, the rest is history.”
What started as a modest event has grown into a 10-day spectacle, drawing tens of thousands of fans and requiring year-round planning.
“We are a year-round organization, so they are working on this from July through June every year,” said CWS Inc. board member Lisa Diesing. “As soon as it ends, we’re thinking about the next year.”
Omaha’s commitment deepened in the late 1980s when the NCAA sought to elevate the event.
“The NCAA wanted to start taking this event to the next level,” John Diesing said. In response, CWS Inc. secured five-year contracts instead of annual agreements, enabling long-term investments like parking, bleachers, and a new press box.
“We said, no problem,” Diesing recalled, “but we need five-year contracts as opposed to one-year rolling contracts.”
By the mid-2000s, the NCAA proposed a new stadium, prompting Omaha’s leaders — including Creighton University, the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority and CWS Inc. — to collaborate on what became Charles Schwab Field.
“When we actually started presenting that to the NCAA, and they loved it,” said Eric Oxley, who helped negotiate the deal. “That was the beauty of the process, is we got to see … it’s not about Omaha taking. It’s about Omaha giving.”
The result was a 25-year agreement with the NCAA, securing Omaha as the series’ home through 2036.
“The NCAA trusts the expertise that we have in all these areas, so they’re not re-creating the wheel,” John Diesing said.
Omaha’s hospitality has been a cornerstone of the series’ success.
“The service clubs are the home away from home for each team,” Lisa Diesing said. “They really make them feel at home in Omaha, and being that support system when they are so far away from home.”
Volunteers and staff, described as “superheroes” by Lisa Diesing, share a passion for the event.
“It’s not a hardship,” said Amy Hornocker, executive director with CWS Inc. “Everybody just really cares about this thing and wants it to be an excellent event.”
CWS Inc. has also given back to the community, donating more than $8 million to support youth baseball and softball facilities through its yearly grant program. With a proactive mindset, the organization continues to innovate.
“We are proactive, we innovate, we communicate, and we bring people together,” Oxley said.
For Omaha, the series is more than an event — it’s a point of pride.
“Augusta is to the Masters, Indianapolis is to the Indianapolis 500, Louisville is the Kentucky Derby, Omaha is the home to the College World Series, and there’s pride in that,” John Diesing said.
As the city celebrates 75 years of this storied tradition, the focus remains on elevating the experience and ensuring Omaha remains the heart of college baseball for years to come.
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