Brewers tailgaters take over American Family Field for home opener
The first tailgaters Monday morning were there grilling burgers and bacon at 4 a.m.
Updated: 1:11 PM CDT Mar 31, 2025
AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD. THANKS, MALLORY. WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE FIRST PITCH THIS AFTERNOON, THE TAILGATES ARE WELL UNDERWAY. 12 NEWS ERICA FINK JOINS US LIVE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE BALLPARK. AND, ERICA, YOU TALKED WITH SOME FANS WHO HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR HOURS. OH MY GOSH. GERRON THE FIRST FANS THAT WE TALKED TO THAT GOT HERE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THEY GOT HERE AT 4 A.M., SO CLEARLY THERE’S SOME LIVE MUSIC. LOTS OF PEOPLE HANGING OUT, JAMMING OUT. WE ALSO GOT A LOT OF GRILLING. IT’S PROBABLY SMELLED LIKE BRATS AND BURGERS AND CHARCOAL FOR HOURS. I’M PROBABLY NOT DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF THIS, BUT AT LEAST WE’RE TRYING, RIGHT? BUT JUST EITHER WAY, REALLY GOOD TIME. AND MY FRIEND CHRIS OUT HERE, I’M GOING TO CHANGE THESE HANDS RIGHT HERE. SO, CHRIS, YOU’RE FROM FOND DU LAC. THIS IS NOT YOUR FIRST HOME OPENER, RIGHT? NO, THIS IS MY 35TH IN A ROW. WHAT’S BROUGHT YOU BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR WITHOUT ANY BREAK IN BETWEEN? REALLY? IT’S JUST LUCK. HEALTH HAS BEEN GOOD, THAT KIND OF THING. SO JUST FORTUNATE. NEVER BEEN SICK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT YEAH, I WOULDN’T MISS IT. I’VE BEEN A SEASON TICKET HOLDER SINCE 93, SO YEAH, IT’S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME, ALWAYS GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD FOOD, GOOD BEER. SO AGAIN TO THIS IS THE FIRST HOME OPENER WITHOUT BOB UECKER. HOW ARE YOU FEELING AND WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE SEASON WITHOUT HIM? I’M GOING TO MISS YOU. I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO HIM SINCE I WAS 6 OR 7 YEARS OLD WITH MY DAD, THAT KIND OF THING. MISSED LISTENING TO HIM IN THE STADIUM, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT IT’S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR SURE. AND AS FAR AS THIS YEAR, I JUST HOPE THEY GET THEIR PITCHING TOGETHER AND THEY MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS EVERY YEAR. SO I’M HOPING THIS YEAR THEY’LL TURN THINGS AROUND. IT’S A ROUGH START, BUT SHOULD BE GOOD. DO YOU THINK WITHOUT YOU MAYBE THEY’LL GO EVEN FARTHER THAT WILL PUSH THEM THAT EXTRA STEP, RIGHT. AND YELICH IS A BIG GUY THAT HE REALLY LOVED YOU. SO MAYBE HE’LL HAVE A REALLY GOOD YEAR. AND YEAH, DO IT FOR THEM. DO IT FOR YOU THIS YEAR FOR SURE. ABSOLUTELY. AND I KNOW TOO, THAT THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I’VE SPOKE WITH OUT HERE THAT ARE REALLY HOPING FOR YOU TO REALLY PUSH THEM INTO THE WORLD SERIES, HOPEFULLY FOR A WORLD SERIES STINT THIS YEAR. BUT OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY IS EXCITED. THERE’S STILL A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOR TAILGATING OUT HERE TODAY. A FEW MORE HOURS, BUT ANYWAYS, EVERYONE’S EXCITED. SO IF WE COULD GET A ONE, TWO, THREE GO. BACK TO YOU GUYS. OH MY GOODNESS. SO EXCITING. ERICA TELL THEM TO SAVE ME A BRIDE I’M COMING. I JUST GOT A NEWSCAST TO GET THROUGH. OH MY GOODNESS. SO EXCITING. ERICA FINK LIVE OUTSIDE OF AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD. THANK YOU ERICA. FIRST PITCH AGAINST THE ROYALS IS SET FOR 110 THIS AFTERNOON. THE PARKING LOTS, AS YOU CAN SEE, ARE NOW OPEN FOR TAILGATING. THE GATES TO THE BALLPARK WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN IN ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF. THEY OPEN AT 1110 FOR THE FIRST FANS TO GO INSIDE. WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BREWE
Brewers tailgaters take over American Family Field for home opener
The first tailgaters Monday morning were there grilling burgers and bacon at 4 a.m.
Updated: 1:11 PM CDT Mar 31, 2025
The grills were smoking and the beers were flowing as early as 4 a.m. Monday at American Family Field.Sandra and Steve Mandl from Milwaukee have made it a longstanding tradition to be the first in line for the home opener.12 News’ Erica Finke asked, “Why did you guys decide to come out so early today?” Sandra said, “Because we wanted to get good parking.”The married couple met on a Brewers shuttle in 2008. The Brew Crew has been an integral part of their relationship ever since.”They bring happiness. You know, it just gets kind of low without the Brewers during the winter and fall and whatnot. But when spring and summer come, that’s where the excitement kicks in,” Steve said.It’s a bittersweet start to the season after longtime Brewers icon, Bob Uecker, died in January at 90 years old. Many fans are hoping for a chance at the World Series this year in honor of Mr. Baseball.”It’s hard not to think of baseball and not think of Bob, not just with the Brewers, but Major League and all of the stuff you did around the game besides just calling for the Brewers. He is baseball,” said Zach Hedlund from West Bend.”Going to be a tear-jerker, I think, in the stadium when they do the announcement and everything. So it’s going to be sad, but it’s going to be good. We’re going to go for a win,” said Paul Danklefsen, who lives near the Wisconsin Dells.
MILWAUKEE —The grills were smoking and the beers were flowing as early as 4 a.m. Monday at American Family Field.
Sandra and Steve Mandl from Milwaukee have made it a longstanding tradition to be the first in line for the home opener.
12 News’ Erica Finke asked, “Why did you guys decide to come out so early today?” Sandra said, “Because we wanted to get good parking.”
The married couple met on a Brewers shuttle in 2008. The Brew Crew has been an integral part of their relationship ever since.
“They bring happiness. You know, it just gets kind of low without the Brewers during the winter and fall and whatnot. But when spring and summer come, that’s where the excitement kicks in,” Steve said.
It’s a bittersweet start to the season after longtime Brewers icon, Bob Uecker, died in January at 90 years old. Many fans are hoping for a chance at the World Series this year in honor of Mr. Baseball.
“It’s hard not to think of baseball and not think of Bob, not just with the Brewers, but Major League and all of the stuff you did around the game besides just calling for the Brewers. He is baseball,” said Zach Hedlund from West Bend.
“Going to be a tear-jerker, I think, in the stadium when they do the announcement [for Uecker] and everything. So it’s going to be sad, but it’s going to be good. We’re going to go for a win,” said Paul Danklefsen, who lives near the Wisconsin Dells.
