Devil Dogz open first season at newly named Nomaco Park in Zebulon
Zebulon’s old ballpark reopened under a new name, with free-but-ticketed fan fest, fireworks and all-you-can-eat concessions aimed at families.
The first night at Nomaco Park was built as much around value as baseball, with a free but ticketed fan fest, all-you-can-eat concessions, fireworks after the game and a pregame setup meant to turn the old Five County Stadium into a summer destination for Wake County families.
The Zebulon Devil Dogz opened their first season Thursday with a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m., followed immediately by fan fest at the stadium. Town officials said the event included batting practice on the field, meet-and-greets with players and coaches, autographs, inflatable games, merchandise and concessions. Zebulon Mayor Jessica Daniels Harrison and Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Don Mial were set to officiate the ribbon cutting.
The opener carried more weight than a typical new-team debut because the ballpark itself is in the middle of a reset. Capitol Broadcasting Company’s sublease of Five County Stadium was approved in September 2025 by Zebulon leaders and Wake County commissioners, after the town and county looked for a new operator following the Carolina Mudcats’ departure. CBC said it would sublease the stadium to a Coastal Plain League team and Wake Technical Community College for certain events.
For Zebulon, the change closed one chapter and opened another. Five County Stadium had been home to the Carolina Mudcats since 1991, and the Mudcats announced in 2023 that they would move to a new $69 million stadium in Wilson. The Wilson Warbirds were scheduled to begin play in spring 2026, leaving eastern Wake County with a familiar stadium, a new name and a different baseball identity.
The Devil Dogz arrived as part of the Coastal Plain League’s 30th season, with the league saying the Zebulon expansion franchise would begin play in late May 2026. The league tied the club to a long-term partnership with Australia’s Ozball, and the team’s roster page listed players from Australian places including Sydney and Albion Park, NSW, giving the roster an international flavor uncommon in local summer baseball.
The first game was set against the Virginia Beach Valor, with the opening-night package designed to keep families on the grounds well after first pitch. Between the ribbon cutting, the fan festival, fireworks and concessions, the club signaled that it was not just selling a schedule. It was trying to build a ritual at a ballpark Zebulon has known for generations, now under a new name and a new purpose.
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