That’s the traditional way a real pro sports fan answers the eternal question: “What Can I getcha?” But the menu prices this fall will give them pause. Time to take an objective look at what they’re charging for a ‘Dog n’ a Beer’ in NFL stadiums…
Sportscasting.com recently compiled a detailed report on concession stand menu prices at all stadiums in the NFL. And the findings proved shocking to some, inexplicable to others, but inevitable to veteran fans…
Wide range of venues
The NFL plays in a wide range of venues, from old to new, large to small. The largest is Met Life Stad-ium, home of New York’s Giants and Jets, with a capacity of 82,500. The smallest is venerable Soldier Field in Chicago, home of the Bears, with a capacity of ‘just’ 61,500.
The first ting you notice when analyzing the Sportscasting chart is, there’s no correlation between the age or size of the venue and the cost of your iconic dog and beer.
The ‘spread’
Not that we’re recommending you bet on the issue… But the spread between the highest and lowest price for the dog and beer combo spans $12.49. Which is half again what the combo costs at the low-est priced venue – Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, home of the Falcons. Ther, fans can chow down and irrigate for a mere $7.49. At Met Life in NYC, the same basic ‘deal’ costs $19.98.
It should also be noted that there is no ‘island of sanity’ across the board. No happy medium. The chart is a straight line from bottom to top. Not a bell curve.
What DOES determine prices?
The prices for on sports stadium concession menus are determined not by any factor relating to the food or beverages. They depend entirely on what the team and the stadium owners want (or ‘need’) out of the deal. Like government taxes on gasoline or alcohol. These hidden costs can amount to more than the actual price of the consumables, themselves, plus the vendors’ profit.
The truth is, pro sports is a cut-throat business. And its owners demand big returns. So not only do the teams hold up vendors (and by association, fan) for high food and drink prices, they also hit the broadcasters for high ‘rights’ fees. And the fans for outrageous ticket prices. But they also have big costs to meet before they take their profits. Not he least of which are player salaries and venue upkeep, respectively.
‘What the market will bear’
And there is always the basic principle of ‘what the market will bear’. That is, how much folks will pay for a product of service before they rebel, and refuse to by it anymore. Met Life stadium is in NYC – the most affluent city in America. Mercedes-Benz stadium is in Atlanta. Its biggest industry is Coca-Cola. And it’s plum in the middle of the agricultural South.
The public there is likely NOT to stand for the same ticket price or concession price burden as folks in New York. Or Los Angeles, where the second-most-expensive stadium is located. ‘Little’, but pricey, Soldier Field (4th most expensive) is in Chicago…
My take
Stadium food and beverage prices bear no logical or rational resemblance to what you could expect to pay at a neighbourhood restaurant, much less what you’d pay to enjoy the exact same menu at home.
I’ve always realized this. And I’ve always preferred to stay home, and watch big-venue events of all sorts on TV. With today’s huge, 4G HD flatscreens and surround sound, the best seat in the house is in your living room!
~ Maggie J.