Did You Know the True Story Why this Thin-Sausage Is Called - "Hot Dog?"

The True Story of "Hot Dog" and the History of Concession In Sports Business

Get your dachshund sausages while they're red hot!" ... References to dachshund sausages and ultimately hot dogs can be traced to German immigrants in the 1800s. These immigrants brought not only sausages to America, but dachshund dogs. The name most likely began as a joke about the Germans' small, long, thin dogs

Did You Know How this Thin-Sausage Got the Name - "Hot Dog?"
Well, there are several versions of how the name "Hot Dog" came about, but two of these versions may have been largely accepted, yet they are really not the true story.

One of the accepted versions: 
In the mid-19th century, German immigrant butchers in the United States began selling variations of sausages, some of which were thin and long, like the dog breed dachshund. They jokingly called these dachshund sausages. Over time, the phrase may have been bastardized into “hot dog.”

The other accepted version:
A sports cartoonist T. A. "Tad" Dorgan, who caricatured German figures as dachshunds in the early 1900s, generally earns credit for popularizing the term "hot dog," because he could not spell dachshund. Overtime, the thin german sausage took the name "hot dog."

Now, the True Story of "Hot Dog"
In 1887, a young man decided to print a program for a baseball game in Columbus Ohio, because "you can't tell the players without a scorecard."

From that venture, young Harry M. Stevens expanded to other venues, hawking soft drinks and sausages to the enthusiastic crowd.

Then a local New York cartoonist, Tad Dorgan, observing Stevens selling "the red hot sausages in bun at New York Polo Grounds soon drew a cartoon showing the sausages styled with faces and legs and stevens barking the sales. Dorgan coined the phrase "Hot Dog."

This cartoon publication got several owners of confectionery business interested in selling at sports venues and ushered in the beginning of the concession industry and the start of H.M Stevens Concession company.

What is Concession in Sports Business?

A concession is a stand (snack kiosk or snack bar) where fans (spectators) can purchase snacks or food in a stadium or other sporting event arena. 

Sometimes, the snacks are hawk around the stadium during time-out or half time.

Concessions in a sports venue are called that because the stadium has granted the right to sell food to a certain vendor or brand. Understand that the next time you're munching a hot dog or popcorn at a game venue.

The State of Concession in Sports Business
The concession industry is still more of a USA business phenomenon that plays a major role in "Fans total entertainment experience."

Even today in Europe and Asia, foodservice and merchandise sales play a minor role in sports.

And in Africa, in places like Nigeria, concessional business options are either non-existent at sports venues or largely overlooked for every Dick and Harry.

 Perhaps, we just need one visionary like Harry M. Stevens to spark off this business option in this part of the world.

Interestingly, you want to start a concession company or you want a concession in any stadium or sports venue in Nigeria, we can help you with that. Call or WhatsApp: +234(0)809 877 2556 or write  your inquiry on the contact form below.