Concession Prices & Why People Won't go to LCA

[emu steve]

The premise of this thread is silly. Sports team owners [[and anyone else selling anything) are free to charge whatever they want. We are free to choose to spend or not spend money. If too many people stop spending money, they would lower prices. You know what I do when something costs more than it is worth to me? I don't buy the product.

The notion that LCA prices would be so high that no one would want to go is absurd, because demand drives prices. When the arena regularly is half full for Red Wings games, I assure you they will take corrective action. Until then, I think they are doing just fine.

Oh, also: you can eat and drink all you want before and after the game if you are too cheap to pay concession prices. Everyone can go a few hours without eating. Treating expensive concession prices as some sort of egregious human rights violation is a very self-centered, first-world point-of-view.

I agree with you.

I don't like high concession prices and probably avoid buying too much at the stadium/arena but the vendor is free to set their prices and as Mikey indicates there isn't any requirement to buy food at the venue.

Most basketball and hockey games don't last long [[baseball is another matter. ).

Grab a burger on the way to the arena if that is what someone wants. Grab a beer at Harry's. Eat at Hockeytown. Whatever one wants.

[mikeg19]

The premise of this thread is silly. Sports team owners [[and anyone else selling anything) are free to charge whatever they want. We are free to choose to spend or not spend money. If too many people stop spending money, they would lower prices. You know what I do when something costs more than it is worth to me? I don't buy the product.

The notion that LCA prices would be so high that no one would want to go is absurd, because demand drives prices. When the arena regularly is half full for Red Wings games, I assure you they will take corrective action. Until then, I think they are doing just fine.

Oh, also: you can eat and drink all you want before and after the game if you are too cheap to pay concession prices. Everyone can go a few hours without eating. Treating expensive concession prices as some sort of egregious human rights violation is a very self-centered, first-world point-of-view.

I guess that's one viewpoint. There's probably 80% of the population that disagrees with it though.

The point of the thread isn't to debate food items outside of the arena[[s), it's the absurdity of pricing within an arena. You're going to tell me you don't give even a fleeting thought to paying $18 for a $5 Hot N Ready or $9 for a been when buying a second would basically buy you an entire case of it at a party store? If you can afford to take a family of 4 to a sporting event and blow $400, good for you. For the majority, that is not an option. It's not a matter of being "cheap" as you so put it, rather understanding the value of something and whether or not it is reasonable to purchase the item. I'm assuming you probably pay $6.50 for a bottle of water at Cedar Point and have no issue with it as well.

[gumby]

You are acting as if this is exclusive to Detroit. Literally every team inflates their food prices at games. They have a captive audience and it isn't like they can comparison shop. Not saying I like it but they charge the prices because they can and people will pay it. Whining about it on Detroityes is not going to do anything to change that fact.

I guess that's one viewpoint. There's probably 80% of the population that disagrees with it though.

The point of the thread isn't to debate food items outside of the arena[[s), it's the absurdity of pricing within an arena. You're going to tell me you don't give even a fleeting thought to paying $18 for a $5 Hot N Ready or $9 for a been when buying a second would basically buy you an entire case of it at a party store? If you can afford to take a family of 4 to a sporting event and blow $400, good for you. For the majority, that is not an option. It's not a matter of being "cheap" as you so put it, rather understanding the value of something and whether or not it is reasonable to purchase the item. I'm assuming you probably pay $6.50 for a bottle of water at Cedar Point and have no issue with it as well.

[ABetterDetroit]

You are acting as if this is exclusive to Detroit. Literally every team inflates their food prices at games. They have a captive audience and it isn't like they can comparison shop. Not saying I like it but they charge the prices because they can and people will pay it. Whining about it on Detroityes is not going to do anything to change that fact.

The OP started the thread pointing out that the Atlanta Falcons are not gouging food prices at their new NFL stadium that opens this season. Falcons at least make one less than "every".

http://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2...dium-revealed/

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Also, I think MikeG19 you are forgetting that it is irrelevant entirely what most people are willing to pay*. What matters only is what the 20,000 people in the arena are willing to pay.

The Atlanta Falcons are trying a novel approach. It will be interesting to see how it pays off for them, especially considering that the NHL has only about 10-12 games per venue per season [[including pre and post season). I would suspect that it will not work out well for them [[although I am not saying they will lose money; I just think they will make less).My reason for thinking that is this: even at NFL, MLB & NHL prices, it seems like most people are already eating and drinking quite a bit. I doubt a substantial cut in prices will lead to radically larger amounts of food and beverage being consumed, because they were already doing it at the higher prices. It should not be forgotten that attending the event itself- plus parking- is already a large expense.

*In this day and age when even many poor people have cell phones and cable television, I suspect almost everyone could pay LCA concession prices if they chose to do so, at least every now and then. Plus, they need to afford a ticket to the event in question in the first place.

[emu steve]

Also, I think MikeG19 you are forgetting that it is irrelevant entirely what most people are willing to pay*. What matters only is what the 20,000 people in the arena are willing to pay.

The Atlanta Falcons are trying a novel approach. It will be interesting to see how it pays off for them, especially considering that the NHL has only about 10-12 games per venue per season [[including pre and post season). I would suspect that it will not work out well for them [[although I am not saying they will lose money; I just think they will make less).My reason for thinking that is this: even at NFL, MLB & NHL prices, it seems like most people are already eating and drinking quite a bit. I doubt a substantial cut in prices will lead to radically larger amounts of food and beverage being consumed, because they were already doing it at the higher prices. It should not be forgotten that attending the event itself- plus parking- is already a large expense.

*In this day and age when even many poor people have cell phones and cable television, I suspect almost everyone could pay LCA concession prices if they chose to do so, at least every now and then. Plus, they need to afford a ticket to the event in question in the first place.

I agree.

If one can afford $150 for a Lions ticket and then parking, can they not afford a hot dog at the game?

It should be obvious that prices are set for the target audience: 20K at LCA, 65K at Ford Field, etc.

This audience is more than likely have a good bit of 'disposable income' and sports teams are more than willing to help them dispose of it.

Reminds of an old joke: A person who has to worry about the price of gas should not be driving a Lexus.

[mikeg19]

I agree.

If one can afford $150 for a Lions ticket and then parking, can they not afford a hot dog at the game?

It should be obvious that prices are set for the target audience: 20K at LCA, 65K at Ford Field, etc.

This audience is more than likely have a good bit of 'disposable income' and sports teams are more than willing to help them dispose of it.

Reminds of an old joke: A person who has to worry about the price of gas should not be driving a Lexus.

I don't think it's a matter of can they afford it, it's a matter of will they spend it?

Case in point, had a friend who's dad was a Ford exec growing up. Drove nice cars, had a big house, etc. When he would take us to games, he never, ever paid for a pop or hot dog not only for us but himself. Refused to spend money on a beer, although this guy probably made a fortune. My point is, I understand that most people who attend these games can afford it and they will pay the prices, but how many people are you alienating by not making it affordable, more so for a family? We have been spoiled in Detroit with pretty damn good teams for the past 15,20 years [[minus the Lions, but the NFL is different). What happens over the next 5-10 years as these teams go through rebuilds and sink to the bottom of the league? The Tigers will still probably draw, people like being outside in the summer, but the Pistons [[about the most fair weather fans out there) and Wings [[smaller audience for the NHL than other pro sports) might be the most exposed to inflated pricing. I love hockey, I love watching it. But man oh man, has it been painful watching that dreadful team the last few years. I'm probably more of a hardcore Wings fan, so I will continue to go or watch, but it definitely is less frequent than before. I used to not really think about spending $60 on a ticket, but now I really debate about the ROI I'm getting while watching. I get your points guys, but at the same time, I'm curious to see how this model is going to work in Atlanta and whether any other pro teams might try it, at least to some degree.

[gumby]

With $600 million in public funding for their stadium I would be willing to bet that it was a contractual obligation somewhere.

The OP started the thread pointing out that the Atlanta Falcons are not gouging food prices at their new NFL stadium that opens this season. Falcons at least make one less than "every".

http://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2...dium-revealed/

[emu steve]

One thing about sports which most people don't take into consideration:

For most sports one can watch most or all games with cable, etc. which has Fox Sports Detroit. So one is paying for the sports channel.

For the LIONS, one does not even need cable, DirecTV, etc. Most games will be on over-the-air channels.

I think in the case of the NFL, they are giving viewers access to something with significant value without cost. On Thanksgiving one can pay $200 for a sideline ticket or sit home and watch it with multiple cameras for free. And have a good turkey dinner [[at home) or cheap hamburgers at the stadium.

[mtburb]

For the LIONS, one does not even need cable, DirecTV, etc. Most games will be on over-the-air channels.

I think in the case of the NFL, they are giving viewers access to something with significant value without cost. On Thanksgiving one can pay $200 for a sideline ticket or sit home and watch it with multiple cameras for free. And have a good turkey dinner [[at home) or cheap hamburgers at the stadium.

To be specific, all Lions games will be on broadcast networks if you're in the Detroit television market, but once you get out of the market the cable games will become exclusive to cable/satellite.

[emu steve]

To be specific, all Lions games will be on broadcast networks if you're in the Detroit television market, but once you get out of the market the cable games will become exclusive to cable/satellite.

Okay. I wasn't sure if all 16 would be on local broadcast networks. So the net cost of 16 Lions' game in the Detroit area is $0.00.

For folks like me, I buy DirecTV's NFL package which cost a few hundred dollars a season, but it isn't more than the cost of one game ticket, plus parking, and those expensive concessions...

[mikeg19]

Okay. I wasn't sure if all 16 would be on local broadcast networks. So the net cost of 16 Lions' game in the Detroit area is $0.00.

If were getting technical, you're paying a higher cable fee because of the NFL. Fox and CBS didn't give the NFL several billion dollars to broadcast their games without passing that cost onto customers. Same thing with ESPN charging an enormous amount of money to cable subscribers.

[emu steve]

If were getting technical, you're paying a higher cable fee because of the NFL. Fox and CBS didn't give the NFL several billion dollars to broadcast their games without passing that cost onto customers. Same thing with ESPN charging an enormous amount of money to cable subscribers.

Yeah, and the Olympics and the Presidential election and inauguration and Fox News and, and, and...

Whenever someone subscribes to cable or DirecTV they are buying into a package of television of which one may or may not watch or not even want to pay for either directly or indirectly through advertising dollars going to networks.

We could go to ala carte pricing but it would be messy.

[Zacha341]

Figures. One of the reasons I 'cut the cord' to cable tv many years now [[I only stream TV)! due to un-affordable and ever increasing pricing!

If were getting technical, you're paying a higher cable fee because of the NFL. Fox and CBS didn't give the NFL several billion dollars to broadcast their games without passing that cost onto customers. Same thing with ESPN charging an enormous amount of money to cable subscribers.