As a general rule, I like to be looking forward. But as I get older, I find myself looking back more often than I’d like to.

When it comes to the College World Series, you have to look back if you’re going to look forward.

When I see what an amazing event the College World Series is today, it’s hard to believe what it used to be.

The first time I went to a CWS game was when I was a kid, sometime in the early 70’s. While I’m sure playing in the series meant something to the players back then, it didn’t mean much to the rest of the country. For that matter, it didn’t mean all that much to Omaha either.

It seems unfathomable now, but back then, you could walk up to the box office right before the first pitch of the championship game and buy a ticket for anywhere you wanted to sit. And Rosenblatt Stadium was only a few thousand seats back then. Nowhere near the 24,000-seat venue it eventually grew to be.

The games were not televised except for a pre-recorded highlight reel that CBS ran of the final championship game a week after it was played.

I’m telling you there was a time the College World Series was no big deal.

Then, in 1980, ESPN started covering select World Series games. Little by little, the Road to Omaha started getting national attention. Then, in 2003, ESPN gained exclusive rights and started carrying all the games.

But even with all the games being televised for years, the stands still had plenty of empty seats. Little by little, a group of dedicated fans started coming back every year. Traditions were formed. Neighbors on 13th street made bank renting out their front yards to parked cars. Scout troops sold popcorn and bottled water on the sidewalk across from the stadium. Zestos ice cream became world famous, and the after-party happened organically at Pauli’s bar when word got out that’s where the ESPN crew congregated after the game.

I was working in radio back then, and every year I covered the games. Not as a play-by-play guy, but more of a lifestyle reporter. Every year, I saw the CWS get bigger and bigger. Rosenblatt added more seats to accommodate the crowds. The city spent millions to improve the press box to accommodate not only ESPN, but the radio broadcasters from the other schools.

It didn’t take long before other cities started sniffing around and threatening to take the games away from us.

That’s when Mayor Fahey and CWS Inc. put together a plan for a new downtown stadium and a 25-year commitment from the NCAA to keep the teams on the Road to Omaha.

This year marks the 76th year the CWS will be making Omaha its home. There is still another 10 years left on the contract, but then what?

College sports look nothing like they did just a few short years ago. There’s no telling what it will look like ten years from now. The NCAA doesn’t have the firm grip on the athletes like it used to have. Things like NIL, the consolidation of major conferences, and the latest scandal of allowing a gambler to play are just some of the obstacles facing the organization.

It would be stupid for the NCAA to take the series elsewhere when our contract is up. But it would also be stupid if Omaha succumbs to outlandish demands to keep it here. You can never underestimate the possibility of smart people doing stupid things when so much money is involved.

I remember what it was like when the College World Series was a nothingburger. If it went away, the city would not only lose the revenue it generates, but it would lose part of our identity and our history. I hope that the powers that be realize what a good thing we’ve got going here and work to make sure it continues to thrive.

Back when the series was at Rosenblatt, it was an Omaha event. Since moving to the downtown stadium, it’s now a big-money corporate event. But that doesn’t mean it’s still not a very cool way to spend some hot summer days.

Even if those days aren’t spent quite as I remember them.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.