The fans were loud. The lines were long. Every corner of Rosenblatt Stadium smelled of hot dogs, popcorn and beer.
And Omahan Matt Baum loved every minute of the Omaha Nighthawks' debut Friday night in the United Football League and 27-26 win over the Hartford Colonials.
He laughed at the T-shirt guy dancing in the stands.
He cheered running back Ahman Green and quarterback Jeff Garcia. He yelled, drank beer and yelled some more. Why? Because that's what football fans do. And there was no shortage of fans 23,067.
Baum, 35, called the spectacle “wacky” because, really, who expected to see our beloved Rosenblatt baseball diamond turned into a patchy green gridiron?
“Obviously, we're in a football town,'' Baum said. “It's fun to see names you recognize in your stadium.”
Tailgate parties went full throttle.
Nighthawks fans packed into the parking lot for pre-game festivities, including a free concert by local cover band Hi-Fi Hangover, children's inflatables, games and more.
People arrived early to hang out, get the full game experience and snatch up any freebies.
Zesto's restaurant gave free hot dogs to the first 1,000 customers. The UFL gave the first 2,000 fans megaphones.
And thousands of people made the rounds through the “family friendly” activity area before the 7 p.m. kickoff against Hartford.
Omahan Cindi Leo-Hofta and 16 of her family members roasted hot dogs and brats a few feet away from all the attractions.
Her family arrived about 2:30 p.m. to find their premium spot in the lot.
“We bought a block of season tickets for the game months ago,” Leo-Hofta said. “Even before they announced Nelly,” the St. Louis rapper who performed at halftime.
“We would have come out even if it wasn't Nelly performing,” Leo-Hofta said. “I think this is all great. It's local. We don't have to drive to Lincoln to tailgate or see great football.”
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She's a rabid fan
Omahan Jen Homann is a football fan, for sure. She was reared in Husker red. Don't get her started on football trivia. She'll blow your mind.
She recently locked in her Oct. 16 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Texas Longhorns game tickets. She got them for $125 apiece. Don't ask how. She knows how to wheel and deal for what she really loves: “a good football game.”
She digs NFL games, too. But the 26-year-old is giddy for the Nighthawks.
“When I heard we were going to get a professional team,” she said, she squealed a little. Let's just say she was pretty excited. “We got some pretty great seats, right at the 50-yard line, a few rows up.”
Obviously, a Nighthawks game isn't comparable to a Husker game. For one thing, Rosenblatt seats 24,000, while Memorial Stadium has more than 80,000 seats.
“The Omaha Nighthawks have a different type of fan a lot of professional football fans. People want to see a good football game in Omaha. We didn't have that.”
The scene was loud and crazy. A constant buzz surrounded the game. Why the hype?
“They've got good players on the team. Big names,” Homann said. “I've known them. I mean, I've seen them play.”
She was talking about some of the NFL's finest. Green, the Omaha native who was a running back with the Green Bay Packers. Garcia, the quarterback who had his most prominent days with the San Francisco 49ers. Cato June, a linebacker who played for the Indianapolis Colts.
And then there's Maurice Clarett, who was a star for Ohio State and drafted by the Denver Broncos but was later cut. Before his career got started, he was caught up in off-field legal trouble.
Fans, like Homann, wanted to see how well he would mesh with the Omaha Nighthawks.
“I wanted to see how the team was going to play together,” Homann said. “All of the other UFL teams have played at least a season together.”
Her verdict: “They didn't look as good as I hoped they would, but it was the first game and a win is a win.''
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The little people
Omahan Jack Liddell, 4, stood on his seat in the west side of the grandstand shouting, “C'mon, Ahman!” He pointed his black-and-silver foam finger at his favorite player.
“He's a sports fan,” she said of her son. “He loves just about every sport, especially football.”
The Liddells weren't the only family toting youngsters, some as young as 3 months old. The stadium was filled with children in black “Green” and “Garcia” jerseys playing football inside and outside the ballpark.
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Making history
Nick Allmaker of Bellevue invested in Omaha Nighthawks tickets months ago.
“I like football, and I like going out with my friends, so it made sense,” he said. The best part: You don't have to know the history behind the league to be a fan.
“Since it's brand new,” Allmaker said, “we don't need to know who was the kicker in 1983. All we have to do is just show up. It's all about enjoying that experience. Young or old, you'll be at the same starting point.”
And that's perfect for families who want to start a game tradition.
The game seats which ranged in price from $10 to $35 were affordable, Allmaker said. “You can take the whole family for what it would cost for one ticket to a Huskers game.”
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