Since 1950, Omaha’s Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium has hosted the NCAA College World Series, and although the NCAA has agreed to a contract extension to keep the tournament in Omaha through 2035, there will be something missing. It’s strange to think of the game played anywhere besides Rosenblatt, but in 2011 the teams will run out onto TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Baseball is a game of tradition, why the need to relocate?

Many people are very upset about the location change. I am one of them. I understand that the NCAA wants to bring in more revenue from the event, but it seems to have done well so far. People living next to Rosenblatt had at least a month of their mortgages paid for because they sold their lawns for parking.

In 1999, the organization known as the College World Series of Omaha, Inc., placed the iconic “Road To Omaha” sculpture outside the stadium. On any given day, you can go to Rosenblatt and see young ball players and fans alike taking picture after picture under the triumphant smiles of the men in the statue.

But let’s not forget the almighty dollar bill. Monetary income often times takes precedent over sentimental value.

So many organizations are driven by the incredible lust for money, and you can’t necessarily blame the NCAA for doing the same. In 2001, $7 million was spent on renovating Rosenblatt and adding 10,000 seats, bringing the total capacity of the stadium to 23,145. The standing Rosenblatt Stadium sellout record stands at 82 consecutive games. In 2002, the College World Series jumped over the 5,000,000-spectator mark for all time attendance. Doesn’t seem like there’s a very big problem to me.

When you step into Rosenblatt, it’s like stepping into a time machine. You get to see a venue that has stood tall for over six decades. You get to be in an environment that has remained untainted for 63 years. The NCAA is messing with a good thing. Fans and players alike deserve the right to be able to experience that type of atmosphere.

Sure, there are a few major league stadiums that are still like this, but all of those are monstrous in size. Rosenblatt is much smaller, and much “friendlier.” Those big stadiums can feel intimidating, and if you’re going to go watch the College World Series, do you really want to be intimidated?

Omaha has done so much for the game of college baseball, and this city deserves to keep it here. Do I agree with the decision to keep the tournament here? Yes, but I don’t like the feeling of tossing Rosenblatt to the wayside. The new TD Ameritrade Park Omaha will bring some shine and sparkle to the College World Series, but I don’t think that’s what it needs. This argument could continue forever, but what it all comes down to is the love of the game.

In the great words of Woody Allen, “I love baseball. You know it doesn’t have to mean anything, it’s just beautiful to watch.”