Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska (2024)

Now that the old Yankee Stadium is gone, few parks outside of Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Boston’s Fenway Park can claim that they have more history than Omaha’s Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. And soon, it too will be nomore.

Opened in 1947, Rosenblatt Stadium is older than any Major League ballpark save the homes of the Red Sox and Cubs. With seating for 25,500, it’s the largest non-MLB stadium in the country, and the current park of the Omaha Royals, the Triple-A minor league affiliate of the Kansas CityRoyals.

Construction of Rosenblatt Stadium in 1947However, it is surely Rosenblatt’s affiliation with the College World Series that makes it not only regionally famous, but a must-see destination on any true baseball fan’s lifetime fields list. Our advice for those who haven’t checked it off yet? Hurry up. Rosenblatt Stadium might be called out as early as 2010, with the razed lot used for additional parking at the adjacent Henry DoorlyZoo.

So, what makes Rosenblatt Stadium so special? Why will so many Omahans be sad to see it go? Start with almost 60 years of College World Series games. Begun in 1950, the annual field of 288 collegiate baseball teams is whittled down to a field of 64 for the NCAA tournament. The final 8 meet for 10 days of baseball at Rosenblatt. Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium: Right Field LineSince its humble beginnings, over 7,000,000 fans have witnessed a College World Series game at the stadium, and our guess is that not more than a handful left unhappy. One of the beauties of Rosenblatt Stadium is that there is hardly a bad seat in the house. Though some views behind home plate are partially obstructed, most fans enjoy an intimate experience. Many of the seats are covered, protecting fans from rain, and a gentle night breeze is known to cool down the uncovered fans farther down the foul line and in the general admissionoutfield.

Like many older parks, Rosenblatt also has its fair share of character. From the iconic “Road to Omaha” statue in front, to the to the heaping and not-too-terribly priced bloomin’ onions sold, almost in secret, at just one stand in the front of the stadium, Rosenblatt has an understated ambience in line with a mid-sized Midwestern city like Omaha. Bloomin’ OnionsMany of the fans at Rosenblatt for the Series are local or have been making the pilgrimage for years. Beer sales are forbidden, and the stands brim with hopeful high school sluggers, cheering teenage girls, and quite a few fans years younger than that. Often, a visitor to Rosenblatt gets the impression that everyone not wearing a shirt or hat bearing a specific affiliation simply cheers for good, honest, well-played baseball, regardless of which team was playingit.

About the only negativity in the place can be heard in the good-natured boos the fans vociferously levy on any ball girl who fails to catch a foul coming off of the backstop’s protective netting. That, and the time organist Lambert Bartak was ejected for taunting the umpire with the theme to the “Mickey Mouse Club,” one of only two organists ever to be removed from play. My guess: despite this, the players lined up to shake hands at the end of the game anyway, just like they always do. Road to OmahaStatue

In addition to the College World Series, the stadium has also been home to four pro franchises: their current tenant, the Royals, a Dodgers affiliate, and two incarnations of Cardinals teams. The Royals, now members of the expanded Pacific Coast League, have called Rosenblatt home since their inception in1969.

Unfortunately, despite being four time league champs, the minor league club struggles to fill what is, by non-MLB standards, a very large ballpark. Of course, the College World Series has the opposite problem. Despite the addition of 10,000 seats as recently as 2001, it looks like plans to press ahead and build a new downtown Omaha stadium for the Series are likely. A second, smaller park, whose plans are in the works, might give the Royals the more intimate feeling theydesire.

Either way, as movements to save the stadium have thus far proved unsuccessful, it looks like Rosenblatt Stadium’s days are numbered. Enjoy it while youcan.

Omaha Rosenblatt StadiumRosenblatt StadiumAerial

Location

• South Omaha
• Baseball Fields

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Terry Williams (not verified) says:

June 29, 2010 : 13 years 43 weeks ago

Do you know how I can get a seat from thestadium.

locomo says:

July 12, 2010 : 13 years 41 weeks ago

We’ve asked around a bit and no news yet. We’ll inquire a little more and see what we can findout.

gail (not verified) says:

July 21, 2010 : 13 years 40 weeks ago

I also am very interested in information on a seat from thestadium

morgan says:

August 4, 2010 : 13 years 38 weeks ago

Anonymous (not verified) says:

November 29, 2010 : 13 years 21 weeks ago

good riddance! Its over! No more CWS and having tofight through traffic just to get home or having to worry that I’ll actually get a parking spot when I get there, no more rearranging my life around game schedules, no more cracked foundation from weekly fireworks displays, no more getting woken up by a fireworks show when the games go into extra innings and they just HAVE TO set those things off at 11:30 or 12:00 at night. Or how about this last saturday, my day to sleep in when I was awoken by drum and what sounded like a marching band at 8:30 in the morning (the game didn’t start to 1 people). I am so happy that the stadium is dead. That thing was a complete pain in the a**! It never should have been placed in a residentialneighborhood.

Anonymous (not verified) says:

November 29, 2010 : 13 years 21 weeks ago

I’m still just wondering about the seats, maybe a call to the City of Omaha might shed somelight

Anonymous (not verified) says:

December 17, 2010 : 13 years 19 weeks ago

Hello, I just want to know if anything has been heard on weather we can get some seats or if they are going to be auctioned off at all, who would I have to talk to or call in order to get some information, please and thanks, Ps enjoy the newplace

Jason (not verified) says:

June 11, 2011 : 12 years 46 weeks ago

I’d also like to know how to go about purchasing a seat fromRosenblatt?

Anonymous (not verified) says:

June 13, 2011 : 12 years 45 weeks ago

i love how this guy up here is bashing rosenblatt i bet you work at taco bell and live with your mom you 30 year old asshole rosenblatt was a landmark if you didnt like it move you prick iam sad to see rosenblatt get torn down ive had so many memories from that ball park and now my baseball team is getting the score board from right feild and lights fromrosenblatt

locomo says:

June 13, 2011 : 12 years 45 weeks ago

@anonymous - hey, love your passion but please watch yourlanguage

Diane (not verified) says:

June 6, 2012 : 11 years 46 weeks ago

Oh no, I hate to hear this about Rosenblatt stadium. Although I have not lived in Omaha in over twenty years, I have such fond memories of Omaha and Rosenblatt Stadium. I met my husband at the stadium on July 3rd, 1986. I finished my four years in the Air Force at Offut AFB and loved Omaha & decided to stay. Good thing that I did as only a few months later I went to a Beach Boys & Moody Blues concert at the stadium. I met my husband at that concert. Omaha is such a wonderful city with the friendliest people I have ever met. Such fond memories of beautifulcity.

Anonymous (not verified) says:

July 14, 2012 : 11 years 41 weeks ago

And just like that, The city wins, You lose. Move for money, Too sad. Welcome to the Corporate World Series folks, Please put your feelings to the right and walk inside on theleft.

Anonymous (not verified) says:

January 10, 2015 : 9 years 15 weeks ago

Seats from Rosenbladtt can be purchased on E-bay. I bought a set of two for my husband for Christmas 2014. They even come with supports so they can sit on you floor. Excellent service from the E-bay seller. Now I am looking for a print of the stadium to hang over theseats.