BUFFALO, N.Y. – National Hot Dog Month (July) took new meaning this year for Delaware North Companies Sportservice, a global leader in hospitality and food service.
Among the highlights, a series of eating contests involving a 2-foot-long, 1-pound hot dog were held at several ballparks at which Sportservice handles food and beverage services. In the end, it was a Texas Rangers fan who posted the time to beat: 3 minutes and 44 seconds.
Prior to Opening Day, the Sportservice team at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington introduced the 2-foot-long, 1-pound “Boomstick” hot dog to Rangers fans. The hot dog became an instant hit with fans – more than 13,500 sold through July – and caught the attention of media throughout the world.
As a result, Sportservice President Rick Abramson tasked his management team with featuring the Boomstick as the “Giant Slugger” throughout July in a number of the ballparks at which Sportservice provides food and beverage services. U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago), Busch Stadium (St. Louis), PETCO Park (San Diego), Great American Ball Park (Cincinnati), Miller Park (Milwaukee) and Target Field (Minnesota) all participated.
As for the eating contests, claiming bragging rights proved to be a down-to-the-wire battle.
The initial record-time for eating the 2-foot-long hot dog was 19 minutes – a mark set in April by a Texas Rangers groundskeeper. July 4, however, hot-dog eating contest-goers in St. Louis and Chicago eclipsed the mark by consuming the beast in less than 9 minutes. Texas returned fire, July 25, when a Rangers season-ticket holder posted a time of 4 minutes and 58 seconds. On July 27, Sportservice management at Target Field thought a Twins fan rewrote the record for good, when a contestant at one of the venue’s three Giant Slugger-eating competitions finished it in 3 minutes and 56 seconds. But as the month of the hot dog neared the end, the record returned to the Lone Star state – where it all began – on July 30, at which time a Houston resident set the bar beyond reach.
“What a fun month,” said Casey Rapp, Sportservice’s operations manager at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. “It was great to see our creation in the various ballparks. I’m just glad the record ended up at home, once it was all said and done.”
Sportservice at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will continue to sell the Boomstick.
About Delaware North Companies Sportservice
Delaware North Companies Sportservice is one of the nation’s leading food, beverage and retail management companies. Sportservice provides concessions, gourmet catering and fine dining operations at more than 50 professional sporting venues, entertainment complexes and convention centers across the United States and Canada. Sportservice is the provider of choice for an impressive client roster including the World Series, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball's All-Star games, Stanley Cup Championships and the Olympic Games.
For more than 90 years, Sportservice has demonstrated that it knows what it takes to effectively develop, operate and manage multi-faceted kitchens, restaurants, suites, fine dining and retail facilities in order to meet the changing demands of today's fans. From introducing new healthy, organic food selections and creative cuisine for twists on the traditional fare, Sportservice continues to innovate and enhance the fan experience.
About Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is one of the largest and most admired privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2.6 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.
Source: Delaware North Companies Sportservice
