The College World Series is often considered the Greatest Show on Dirt, and 2017's edition didn't disappoint.

With record crowds, great weather, thrilling play and a first-time CWS champion, the College World Series proved that the Road to Omaha truly is an experience that every fan of baseball and collegiate athletics needs to witness.

Tuesday's College World Series Finals Game 2 hosted a sold-out crowd of 26,607 at TD Ameritrade Park. Overall, the CWS saw 357,646 people walk through its gates between June 17 and June 27.

With those large crowds came electric atmospheres. The only fans I've ever seen that invested in each pitch of a baseball game paid hundreds to thousands of dollars for MLB World Series tickets.

"Let's Go Gators" and "L-S-U" rang through the stands Tuesday night, and those cheers failed to diminish as the NCAA baseball season came to a close. "Geaux Tigers" and the "Gator Chomp" lived on into Omaha's early Wednesday morning hours.

I've never seen fans more invested in a baseball game. Each pitch mattered dearly. Each infield or bunt single brought on cheers that rivaled those of MLB stadiums after a walk-off home run. Each fly out coaxed joyous eruptions from the stands.

The effort fans exuded seemed physically taxing. But the supporters didn't care because they traveled to Omaha for one reason: to witness their university winning the College World Series crown.

By those standards, only fans with an affiliation to one specific school left Omaha happy: the Florida Gators.

Christian Zylstra/Results Radio
Christian Zylstra/Results Radio
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Even so, fans and players from each 2017 College World Series competitor should be proud. They made it to the final stage, exhibited pure passion and love for both university and baseball and helped make memories for the millions who tuned in and watched.

Omaha's proven itself as a true host and a true home for the Greatest Show on Dirt.

So do yourself a favor and check out the College World Series when it returns to Omaha in June 2018. It was on my "baseball bucket list," and now I've finally crossed it off. Now it's time for you to do the same.

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