Locals of all ages have their Milwaukee Brewers pride on full display this week. Tell us, what themed baseball gear have you pulled out for the 2026 World Series?

This summer, the state of Wisconsin said goodbye to Giannis Antetokounmpo after 13 incredible seasons with the Bucks. That still feels pretty surreal to type, no matter how many posts of him in a Heat jersey my Instagram continues to push to me. 

The impact Giannis made on the sports landscape of Wisconsin cannot be overstated — beyond the 2021 championship and two MVP awards, his superstar presence led to the development of Fiserv Forum and transformed Milwaukee from a small-market afterthought to a real sports destination.

More personally, he literally made me a basketball fan.

As he departed to Miami, Giannis left Wisconsin with a message that he always tried to be “like them,” praising the hard, “blue collar” work of those who call our state home. 

The stings of losing Giannis certainly haven’t faded for me, but as we turn the page to a new era of sports in Wisconsin, that dirty work-ready mentality that initially won our Greek superstar over feels more present than ever in the historic Brewers season we’re watching unfold.

After sweeping the Dodgers, Pat Murphy’s note that “they may have a bunch of Hall of Famers, but we have a bunch of gamers,” summed it up quite well. In contrast to LA’s historic roster of power-hitting all stars, Milwaukee has assembled a team full of young, adaptable players with relentless plate discipline, pesky baserunning abilities, and a bullpen with seemingly endless depth.

Their small-ball grit — all while playing in the MLB’s smallest metro market — feels like exactly the kind of team spirit that should represent our state on the global stage.

Whether you subscribe to the idea that this World Series will “save baseball” as a potential league-wide lockout looms, you casually enjoy baseball, or the thought of Giannis Antetokounmpo wearing red gives you a lump in your throat (I’m right there with you), I’d like to prescribe some Brewers baseball for you.

As I’m writing this on Friday, Oct. 23, I can feel a concoction of pride and nervous anticipation in the Wisconsin air with game 1 of the 2026 World Series slated for tonight.

Now, as of Thursday Oct. 29, the Milwaukee Brewers have won their first-ever World Series Championship during game five against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Our Brewers hats are on. The Eau Claire subreddit is filled with questions about which bar will provide the best World Series viewing experience. A racing sausage costume even made an appearance in the V1 office this week (check the latest @volumeone).

It’s been a whirlwind year for Wisconsin sports fans. Let’s enjoy this ride.