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Forget "Will run for (insert thing you love here)." How about: "Will move across the country for ..."
Virginian Joe Emery is considering doing just that after joining the Brewers Hot Dog Club, which is in its inaugural season, and visiting Milwaukee twice since.
The longtime hot dog relisher just started becoming a Milwaukee Brewers fan a couple of months ago after being a "die-hard and long-suffering" Los Angeles Angels fan for decades.
"I haven't been this excited about baseball in almost 15 years," he told the Journal Sentinel in a recent phone interview. "That's the last time the Angels were good or relevant. It is something that I had felt before, but it had been half my life ago. I'm grateful that the Brewers have been able to give this to me. Really."
Emery is one of the 1,000 inaugural members of the Hot Dog Club, which the Brewers announced in April and launched in May.
For $59.99, members get one hot dog at every regular-season home game, as well as a trucker hat featuring the club's name and a fly-looking dog in a bun, sporting a Brewers hat, shades and cleats.
Most memberships went within the first few days of being on sale, with the rest trickling in until they sold out, according to Mark Schlifske, the team's vice president of business analytics and insights.
The Brewers hosted two "Meat and Greets" for members — raining hats and dogs — with around 100 attendees, many donning their matching caps, at the first event and around 200 at the second. They were treated to a pregame tailgate with a buffet of hot dogs, sides, beverages, games and swag. Grilling each other on the best toppings was involved, naturally.
To keep tabs on what's cooking around the club, the Brewers put out a monthly-ish newsletter, which shouts-out a "Wienie of the Month." Apparently, that's a good thing. Members share their stories and photos with the ball club for a chance at the honor.
One of the club's top dogs is Dan Blomfeldt, who's been to every home game this season — with plans to make the rest — and has never skipped a hot dog since they've been redeemable. That earned him a recent trip to the mound to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
The club has taken on a life of its own, too. It has a self-proclaimed president and first lady, and has already been repped at multiple members' weddings, including theirs.
"This obviously started as a Brewers idea, but it's been so cool to see the fans take it and make it their own, on social media, at the ballpark," Schlifske said. "They're really kind of taking ownership of this club — it's a fan-led club. And, from our perspective, we love that and we just love the energy that they're bringing."
Here's a look at the quirky club, its enthusiastic members and what the Brewers said about whether the Hot Dog Club will return next season:
It started with a simple question from a member of Schlifske's team: "People love hot dogs. Is there a way we can create a hot dog subscription product?"
After workshopping that idea, the Hot Dog Club was born.
Essentially, the Brewers wanted to give fans an "insider experience," some value on concessions and a hat that shows they're a part of a club, Schlifske explained.
"The reception of the club has been awesome so far," he said. "Starting with the members, they've really leaned into it, which is just awesome to see. We started this and we were kind of hoping people would do that. And, they've really taken it and elevated it to a different level and on their own."
Suit, tie, boutonniere — and a Hot Dog Club hat.
Lifelong Brewers fan Jesse Burns of Burlington joined the club right away and was among the first to score a hat.
"He was so excited about it," his wife, Hannah, said, adding that her husband was proud to be on the ground floor of the group. "He told everybody that he was a Hot Dog Club member."
He wore that hat every day — to work at his plumbing company, workouts, the store and even fancy dinners. And he kept talking about sporting it for his upcoming wedding to Hannah.
Jesse's then-bride-to-be thought he was joking. He wasn't — especially with Hannah's family in full support.
While Hannah was against it, originally, she changed her tune as her husband's passion for the club — and hat — grew.
"When it turned into more than just a hat, more than just a club, I definitely was fine with it," she said.
But, in July, just days before leaving for Chamonix, France, for their mountain nuptials, Jesse's hat ripped.
For the record, it wasn't sabotage, Hannah said. The cap simply wore out from all the wear.
"I'm proud of my hot dog hat," Jesse chimed in.
Jesse serendipitously was already going to the baseball game that night and told Brewers personnel his predicament. It took several innings of hard work, but the Crew came in clutch, tracking down an extra hat for the groom.
"I don't care how dirty the hat gets or how worn out it gets, it will be nostalgic one day," Jesse said.
Mitchell Kreps, the self-appointed Hot Dog Club president, and his first lady, Cat Bell, used a Brewers-gifted hot dog pen to sign their marriage certificate on their big day in July. He credited his wife for coming up with the idea.
Kreps, of St. Francis, joined the club as soon as he could and has been singing its praises to all who'll listen, from colleagues to hockey buddies.
"I really like sharing what it's all about because it's something different," said Kreps, who considers himself a spokesperson for hot dogs and the group. "And it's something that the team at the Brewers have really gotten into what the community's all about and what the fans want. A lot of people that I've talked to about it weren't aware of it. When they start hearing about it, they're like, 'Wow, that's actually really cool.'"
Kreps, a Michigan native, went from being a "pretty casual" Brewers fan after moving to Oshkosh in 2016 following his graduation from Michigan State to engraining himself into the Crew's community of fans after relocating to Milwaukee a few years back.
And, that fandom has reached new heights with the Hot Dog Club.
At the ballpark's dollar dog day on Memorial Day, Kreps posted a picture to X with a "money spread" of hot dogs wrapped in tinfoil lined up along his entire forearm.
Izzy Lugo, the team's director of experimental marketing, reposted that and wrote: "Honestly this should be the only advertisement we use for our next $1 dog day."
"Gotta get him on the mound for a first pitch as President of the Milwaukee Brewers Hot Dog Club," an X user replied to that.
"Only if he changes his LinkedIn headline to this," Lugo said.
Kreps did. That led to him getting invited to multiple games since, he said.
At the first of those, he was featured on the jumbotron with his group — sporting hot dog-themed costumes they were given — and was also given a Barrelman cooler filled with hot dogs, jerseys, pins — and a hot dog pen for him to sign official documents with, Kreps said.
That would be the pen Kreps, his wife — and their witnesses — would use to sign the marriage certificate at their wedding at Waupaca's Camp Elsewhere.
Emery, who lives in Roanoke, Virginia, came across the Hot Dog Club on X when the Brewers announced it.
"If there is anything I love more than baseball, it's hot dogs," Emery said. Hot dogs have been his favorite food since preschool, when his grandpa would pick him up once a week and take him to a local stand, where they'd get them together.
Emery kept the club on his radar, though he wasn't even a Brewers fan — yet. The 30-year-old's allegiance had been with the Angels since Chone Figgins — who played for the former Salem Avalanche in Virginia — joined the team in the early 2000s.
While up in the middle of the night in the beginning of June, Emery decided to join the club, booked a flight to Milwaukee on a whim and was on his way a couple hours later. After landing, he scrambled to find an apartment to rent for a few days.
"It was pretty wild," he said.
The highlight of the trip: The four Brewers games he went to.
"It really felt like October playoff baseball in June, which being an Angels fan is not something I have experience with," Emery said. "Getting to experience that was fantastic."
When Emery wasn't at the ballpark, he was "walking around the city, seeing everything I could and drinking as much High Life as I could." He dove into the city's dive bar scene — that included Wolski's Tavern — dined at Swingin' Door Exchange and had hot dogs' close cousin, a brat, at Milwaukee Brat House.
"I've had more conversations with people in bars in Milwaukee than I've had in my own town in my entire life," he said. "Milwaukee nice is exceptionally true."
In August, Emery was named the Club's "Wienie of the Month" — what he called "the most on-brand thing possible." When the Brewers soon after announced an upcoming "Meat and Greet" for Labor Day, Emery felt like he should "represent and show up."
As he approached the tailgate, a fellow club member immediately recognized him and said: "'Oh my god, did you fly in from Virginia for this?'" Emery said.
"I had 15 minutes of fame up there, just because of my love for hot dogs."
Conversations ranged from raving about Pat Murphy and the Brewers to hot dog chatter, including best places to get them around here and how to top 'em. For Emery, it's chili, mustard and diced onions on a steamed bun.
"There was some scheming going on of how we could get Pat to eat a pocket hot dog during the game instead of one of his pancakes," Emery said. "We didn't quite crack it yet."
Club members at the Meat and Greets found all different ways to "show off their hot dog spirit," from decorating their hats to donning hot dog-themed costumes, said Hannah, who attended the second event.
After the tailgate, Hot Dog Club members got to parade around the warning track inside the ballpark ahead of the game.
"Kids were asking us for high-fives as if we were celebrities or players and stuff," Emery said. "It was real funny."
It was at that game that Blomfeldt got to throw out one of the first pitches.
"It's one of those once-in-a-lifetime-type experiences," he said.
Blomfeldt is a lifelong Brewers fan who went to the World Series as a teen with his parents and sister at County Stadium in 1982, the only time the Crew reached the Series.
A decade later, he witnessed Robin Yount's 3,000th career hit, and later, caught the magic of Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Nyjer Morgan at games with his own son. He also volunteers with the Brewers Community Foundation.
"Things change over time, but I am still a fan. A huge fan," he said.
Figuring he was going to go to a lot of games this season — Blomfeldt has the Ballpark Pass standing-room-only option, which means he can go to as many regular-season home games as he wants for $39.99 per month — the Hot Dog Club was a "no-brainer" for him.
"Who doesn't want to have a hot dog when they're at a baseball game?" he asked.
Making it to every home game so far was just the Secret Stadium Sauce and onions on top — Blomfeldt's go-to toppings. Though, he felt the need to admit that he doesn't always stay until the end, often having to wake up at 4:30 a.m. the next day for his job as a sales service representative.
This wasn't a bucket list thing for him; he typically goes to at least half of the home games. But, once he hit between a third and a half this season, he decided he had to finish the rest out. He even planned his vacation to visit his sister in Minnesota around the Crew's schedule.
"I still work a full-time job, happily married and life is good, and the Brewers are the best team in baseball right now," Blomfeldt said. "How could I not be happy?"
Since his initial June trip to Milwaukee, Emery said he's tuned in to just about every Brewers game.
He even found himself rooting for the Brewers over the Angels in their recent series — the Crew swept — and is even considering a move to Milwaukee just ahead of next baseball season.
With the ball club (obviously), how warm and welcoming Brew City locals have been to him, how cool the area is and the city's history and how it's embraced — Emery's just about sold.
But, after hearing how "atrocious" the winters can get, Emery said, he's planning to visit for a week during that season to see if he can handle it before making his decision.
"The Brewers better do the Hot Dog Club again if I'm coming," Emery said. "I want to take full advantage of it this time."
Even if he doesn't ultimately relocate, he said, he'll be a part of the club as long as it's running and would travel to Brewers land every year.
"It's genuinely been that fun," he said.
His fellow Clubbers shared similar sentiments.
Jesse plans on being a member "for life" if the Crew continues with the club. It's become THE thing his and Hannah's families bring up whenever they see each other. And, "so many" of their relatives want to get in on it next time, too.
"We joke that it's going to go on his tombstone," Hannah said. "'Ground-floor Hot Dog Club member Jesse Burns' is what it's going to read."
Though Blomfeldt doesn't plan on going to quite as many games next season, he said he "can't see giving (the club) up" either.
"This is what Milwaukee's all about," Kreps said. "Enjoying this community that we have."
When asked if the Hot Dog Club will be back next year, the Brewers' Schlifske said: "We're having so much fun with it right now, it's definitely something we're going to consider bringing back and improving for next year. We're just talking to fans, trying to figure out what works and maybe ways we can tinker with it. More to come on that, for sure."
The Brewers have also received calls from other MLB ball clubs, inquiring about the Hot Dog Club and how it works, Schlifske said. He said it seems like some other teams are considering offering it to their fans in the future.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Brewers Hot Dog Club is a hit with members in first season
Continue reading...
Virginian Joe Emery is considering doing just that after joining the Brewers Hot Dog Club, which is in its inaugural season, and visiting Milwaukee twice since.
The longtime hot dog relisher just started becoming a Milwaukee Brewers fan a couple of months ago after being a "die-hard and long-suffering" Los Angeles Angels fan for decades.
"I haven't been this excited about baseball in almost 15 years," he told the Journal Sentinel in a recent phone interview. "That's the last time the Angels were good or relevant. It is something that I had felt before, but it had been half my life ago. I'm grateful that the Brewers have been able to give this to me. Really."
Emery is one of the 1,000 inaugural members of the Hot Dog Club, which the Brewers announced in April and launched in May.
For $59.99, members get one hot dog at every regular-season home game, as well as a trucker hat featuring the club's name and a fly-looking dog in a bun, sporting a Brewers hat, shades and cleats.
Most memberships went within the first few days of being on sale, with the rest trickling in until they sold out, according to Mark Schlifske, the team's vice president of business analytics and insights.
The Brewers hosted two "Meat and Greets" for members — raining hats and dogs — with around 100 attendees, many donning their matching caps, at the first event and around 200 at the second. They were treated to a pregame tailgate with a buffet of hot dogs, sides, beverages, games and swag. Grilling each other on the best toppings was involved, naturally.
To keep tabs on what's cooking around the club, the Brewers put out a monthly-ish newsletter, which shouts-out a "Wienie of the Month." Apparently, that's a good thing. Members share their stories and photos with the ball club for a chance at the honor.
One of the club's top dogs is Dan Blomfeldt, who's been to every home game this season — with plans to make the rest — and has never skipped a hot dog since they've been redeemable. That earned him a recent trip to the mound to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
The club has taken on a life of its own, too. It has a self-proclaimed president and first lady, and has already been repped at multiple members' weddings, including theirs.
"This obviously started as a Brewers idea, but it's been so cool to see the fans take it and make it their own, on social media, at the ballpark," Schlifske said. "They're really kind of taking ownership of this club — it's a fan-led club. And, from our perspective, we love that and we just love the energy that they're bringing."
Here's a look at the quirky club, its enthusiastic members and what the Brewers said about whether the Hot Dog Club will return next season:
How the Brewers Hot Dog Club came to be
It started with a simple question from a member of Schlifske's team: "People love hot dogs. Is there a way we can create a hot dog subscription product?"
After workshopping that idea, the Hot Dog Club was born.
Essentially, the Brewers wanted to give fans an "insider experience," some value on concessions and a hat that shows they're a part of a club, Schlifske explained.
"The reception of the club has been awesome so far," he said. "Starting with the members, they've really leaned into it, which is just awesome to see. We started this and we were kind of hoping people would do that. And, they've really taken it and elevated it to a different level and on their own."
The Brewers Hot Dog Club repped at weddings
Suit, tie, boutonniere — and a Hot Dog Club hat.
Lifelong Brewers fan Jesse Burns of Burlington joined the club right away and was among the first to score a hat.
"He was so excited about it," his wife, Hannah, said, adding that her husband was proud to be on the ground floor of the group. "He told everybody that he was a Hot Dog Club member."
He wore that hat every day — to work at his plumbing company, workouts, the store and even fancy dinners. And he kept talking about sporting it for his upcoming wedding to Hannah.
Jesse's then-bride-to-be thought he was joking. He wasn't — especially with Hannah's family in full support.
While Hannah was against it, originally, she changed her tune as her husband's passion for the club — and hat — grew.
"When it turned into more than just a hat, more than just a club, I definitely was fine with it," she said.
But, in July, just days before leaving for Chamonix, France, for their mountain nuptials, Jesse's hat ripped.
For the record, it wasn't sabotage, Hannah said. The cap simply wore out from all the wear.
"I'm proud of my hot dog hat," Jesse chimed in.
Jesse serendipitously was already going to the baseball game that night and told Brewers personnel his predicament. It took several innings of hard work, but the Crew came in clutch, tracking down an extra hat for the groom.
"I don't care how dirty the hat gets or how worn out it gets, it will be nostalgic one day," Jesse said.
Mitchell Kreps, the self-appointed Hot Dog Club president, and his first lady, Cat Bell, used a Brewers-gifted hot dog pen to sign their marriage certificate on their big day in July. He credited his wife for coming up with the idea.
Kreps, of St. Francis, joined the club as soon as he could and has been singing its praises to all who'll listen, from colleagues to hockey buddies.
"I really like sharing what it's all about because it's something different," said Kreps, who considers himself a spokesperson for hot dogs and the group. "And it's something that the team at the Brewers have really gotten into what the community's all about and what the fans want. A lot of people that I've talked to about it weren't aware of it. When they start hearing about it, they're like, 'Wow, that's actually really cool.'"
Kreps, a Michigan native, went from being a "pretty casual" Brewers fan after moving to Oshkosh in 2016 following his graduation from Michigan State to engraining himself into the Crew's community of fans after relocating to Milwaukee a few years back.
And, that fandom has reached new heights with the Hot Dog Club.
At the ballpark's dollar dog day on Memorial Day, Kreps posted a picture to X with a "money spread" of hot dogs wrapped in tinfoil lined up along his entire forearm.
Izzy Lugo, the team's director of experimental marketing, reposted that and wrote: "Honestly this should be the only advertisement we use for our next $1 dog day."
"Gotta get him on the mound for a first pitch as President of the Milwaukee Brewers Hot Dog Club," an X user replied to that.
"Only if he changes his LinkedIn headline to this," Lugo said.
Kreps did. That led to him getting invited to multiple games since, he said.
At the first of those, he was featured on the jumbotron with his group — sporting hot dog-themed costumes they were given — and was also given a Barrelman cooler filled with hot dogs, jerseys, pins — and a hot dog pen for him to sign official documents with, Kreps said.
That would be the pen Kreps, his wife — and their witnesses — would use to sign the marriage certificate at their wedding at Waupaca's Camp Elsewhere.
Meet, err, 'Meat and Greets'
Emery, who lives in Roanoke, Virginia, came across the Hot Dog Club on X when the Brewers announced it.
"If there is anything I love more than baseball, it's hot dogs," Emery said. Hot dogs have been his favorite food since preschool, when his grandpa would pick him up once a week and take him to a local stand, where they'd get them together.
Emery kept the club on his radar, though he wasn't even a Brewers fan — yet. The 30-year-old's allegiance had been with the Angels since Chone Figgins — who played for the former Salem Avalanche in Virginia — joined the team in the early 2000s.
While up in the middle of the night in the beginning of June, Emery decided to join the club, booked a flight to Milwaukee on a whim and was on his way a couple hours later. After landing, he scrambled to find an apartment to rent for a few days.
"It was pretty wild," he said.
The highlight of the trip: The four Brewers games he went to.
"It really felt like October playoff baseball in June, which being an Angels fan is not something I have experience with," Emery said. "Getting to experience that was fantastic."
When Emery wasn't at the ballpark, he was "walking around the city, seeing everything I could and drinking as much High Life as I could." He dove into the city's dive bar scene — that included Wolski's Tavern — dined at Swingin' Door Exchange and had hot dogs' close cousin, a brat, at Milwaukee Brat House.
"I've had more conversations with people in bars in Milwaukee than I've had in my own town in my entire life," he said. "Milwaukee nice is exceptionally true."
In August, Emery was named the Club's "Wienie of the Month" — what he called "the most on-brand thing possible." When the Brewers soon after announced an upcoming "Meat and Greet" for Labor Day, Emery felt like he should "represent and show up."
As he approached the tailgate, a fellow club member immediately recognized him and said: "'Oh my god, did you fly in from Virginia for this?'" Emery said.
"I had 15 minutes of fame up there, just because of my love for hot dogs."
Conversations ranged from raving about Pat Murphy and the Brewers to hot dog chatter, including best places to get them around here and how to top 'em. For Emery, it's chili, mustard and diced onions on a steamed bun.
"There was some scheming going on of how we could get Pat to eat a pocket hot dog during the game instead of one of his pancakes," Emery said. "We didn't quite crack it yet."
Club members at the Meat and Greets found all different ways to "show off their hot dog spirit," from decorating their hats to donning hot dog-themed costumes, said Hannah, who attended the second event.
After the tailgate, Hot Dog Club members got to parade around the warning track inside the ballpark ahead of the game.
"Kids were asking us for high-fives as if we were celebrities or players and stuff," Emery said. "It was real funny."
It was at that game that Blomfeldt got to throw out one of the first pitches.
"It's one of those once-in-a-lifetime-type experiences," he said.
Blomfeldt is a lifelong Brewers fan who went to the World Series as a teen with his parents and sister at County Stadium in 1982, the only time the Crew reached the Series.
A decade later, he witnessed Robin Yount's 3,000th career hit, and later, caught the magic of Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Nyjer Morgan at games with his own son. He also volunteers with the Brewers Community Foundation.
"Things change over time, but I am still a fan. A huge fan," he said.
Figuring he was going to go to a lot of games this season — Blomfeldt has the Ballpark Pass standing-room-only option, which means he can go to as many regular-season home games as he wants for $39.99 per month — the Hot Dog Club was a "no-brainer" for him.
"Who doesn't want to have a hot dog when they're at a baseball game?" he asked.
Making it to every home game so far was just the Secret Stadium Sauce and onions on top — Blomfeldt's go-to toppings. Though, he felt the need to admit that he doesn't always stay until the end, often having to wake up at 4:30 a.m. the next day for his job as a sales service representative.
This wasn't a bucket list thing for him; he typically goes to at least half of the home games. But, once he hit between a third and a half this season, he decided he had to finish the rest out. He even planned his vacation to visit his sister in Minnesota around the Crew's schedule.
"I still work a full-time job, happily married and life is good, and the Brewers are the best team in baseball right now," Blomfeldt said. "How could I not be happy?"
Hot Dog Club member from Virginia becomes Brewers fan, considers move to Milwaukee
Since his initial June trip to Milwaukee, Emery said he's tuned in to just about every Brewers game.
He even found himself rooting for the Brewers over the Angels in their recent series — the Crew swept — and is even considering a move to Milwaukee just ahead of next baseball season.
With the ball club (obviously), how warm and welcoming Brew City locals have been to him, how cool the area is and the city's history and how it's embraced — Emery's just about sold.
But, after hearing how "atrocious" the winters can get, Emery said, he's planning to visit for a week during that season to see if he can handle it before making his decision.
"The Brewers better do the Hot Dog Club again if I'm coming," Emery said. "I want to take full advantage of it this time."
Even if he doesn't ultimately relocate, he said, he'll be a part of the club as long as it's running and would travel to Brewers land every year.
"It's genuinely been that fun," he said.
His fellow Clubbers shared similar sentiments.
Jesse plans on being a member "for life" if the Crew continues with the club. It's become THE thing his and Hannah's families bring up whenever they see each other. And, "so many" of their relatives want to get in on it next time, too.
"We joke that it's going to go on his tombstone," Hannah said. "'Ground-floor Hot Dog Club member Jesse Burns' is what it's going to read."
Though Blomfeldt doesn't plan on going to quite as many games next season, he said he "can't see giving (the club) up" either.
"This is what Milwaukee's all about," Kreps said. "Enjoying this community that we have."
Will the Brewers Hot Dog Club return in 2026?
When asked if the Hot Dog Club will be back next year, the Brewers' Schlifske said: "We're having so much fun with it right now, it's definitely something we're going to consider bringing back and improving for next year. We're just talking to fans, trying to figure out what works and maybe ways we can tinker with it. More to come on that, for sure."
The Brewers have also received calls from other MLB ball clubs, inquiring about the Hot Dog Club and how it works, Schlifske said. He said it seems like some other teams are considering offering it to their fans in the future.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Brewers Hot Dog Club is a hit with members in first season
Continue reading...
