S’up, dawg. The forecast for a baseball game on Tuesday night in Illinois is a 100 percent chance of rain. Raining hot dogs, that is.
The Joliet Slammers, is teaming up with Pabst Light in an attempt to beat the current world record of the biggest hot dog drop of all time. “For the Slammers, to my knowledge, it’s the first attempt at breaking a world record,” says Night Train Veeck, who is owner and executive vice president of the team. “We’ve done a lot of wild promotions at the ballpark — but dropping 2,600 hot dogs from a helicopter for fans to eat to attempt a world record? That’s a new one, even for us,”
The world record for a hot dog drop is 2,500 sausages. On this Tuesday, a helicopter is going to fly by and then, at exactly 6:35 p.m., some 2,600 packaged hot dogs are going to be dropped over the sold-out stadium filled with fans. Though the dogs come undressed, fans who relish fancier dogs will have access to plenty of condiments to doctor them up as they please. Though some fans might like ketchup on their hot dog, a true Chicago hot dog will not be topped with it (and Joliet is west of Chicago).
“Why hot dogs? Hot dogs, beer and baseball just seemed like the perfect fit … the real question is why not?” – Veeck says, of the promotion.
Along with the regularly scheduled food and drink deals the Slammers have on Tuesdays, they will be selling Pabst Light Cans for only $2 to celebrate the recent release of Pabst Light. Pabst just debuted Pabst Light in April, and this lager was launched in response to consumer demand for a lighter option, which at 96 calories, 3.5 grams of carbohydrates and a 4.2 percent ABV, it is.
“When you think of eating a hotdog or being at a baseball game your first thought is probably ‘Man, a beer would be pretty nice right now,’” says Hunter Cox, Pabst brand manager. “There really isn’t a better trio than beer, hotdogs and baseball.”
With game tickets costing only $2.60, free hot dogs, and $2 brews, this is one of the most economical outings to a baseball game this summer. According to Statista, hot dogs range from $3.07 at an Arizona Diamondbacks game to a whopping $7.96 at the San Diego Padres.
Beer can also get quite expensive, costing an average of $7.18, but going as high as $15, according to Statista.
Normally, at Duly Health and Care Field, where the Slammers play, hot dogs usually cost $5.50, and domestic beer usually costs $7.
While 2,600 hot dogs is a lot of hot dogs, there will be about 7,000 fans expected for game attendance so hot dog lovers are recommended that they practice catching and bring a mitt for optimal grabbing during the drop.
The hot dogs won’t be dropped during an inning so baseball fans won’t miss any of the action as the Slammers take on the Gateway Grizzlies.
”So, hearing the Slammers team wanted to attempt this world record breaking idea we had to jump on getting involved,” Cox says. “2,600 hotdogs raining down, $2 Pabst Lights, and tickets at just $2.60, it doesn’t get much better.”