Dodgers President Reveals Why They Can’t Lower Concession Prices
Los Angeles Times writer Bill Shaikin has recently been analyzing the Dodgers and their business model as it pertains to cost throughout the stadium.
One of his more recent articles spoke about concession prices at Chavez Ravine and how they compare to those at other ballparks throughout Major League Baseball.
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As an example, a Dodger Dog costs $7.99. If one were to go watch an Arizona Diamondbacks game in Phoenix, a hot dog can be procured for $2.99. The discrepancy in price is not only substantial, but it’s also somewhat shocking.
The article speculated whether the Dodgers would offer somewhat of a value menu to fans in attendance. Higher prices surely correlate with the team’s payroll, and the ownership group has invested plenty of money in making fan experiences more modernized and also more enjoyable.
When Shaikin asked team president Stan Kasten whether a value menu could be introduced, he revealed why it wouldn’t be feasible.
“We will increase the number of transactions if we have lower prices. They say they make more money that way. I hate to say this. It’s a terrible thing to say. I wish it wasn’t true. We can’t physically handle more transactions,” Kasten said.
This sentiment might befuddle the fans until further context is revealed and more thoroughly explained. As per the report, concession lines at Dodger Stadium are already notoriously long due to a lack of tangible space. The stadium is built into the side of a hill — and for that reason space is quite limited.
The thought of adding more options, or transactions as Kasten refers to them as, would in theory make lines even longer — thus hindering the fan experience at the ballpark. Space got so precious that seats had to be removed 12 years ago to account for concession stands to be added.
In other words, for those going to games, either expect to pay premium prices, or take advantage of the Dodgers policy where you’re allowed to bring your own food into the ballpark.
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Photo credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
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Ta know I’ll lay the prices. I get it. But the least they could do is make the stuff they’re selling quality. I had a beer with two dodger beef dodgers the other day ($70) and they were dried out logs. I mean un eatable.
Other stadiums brag in their food and we theybfoodie capital of the country can’t serve a decent so get the ball park ?
Com’on stan.
As businesses often do, Stan is saying can’t, when he really means wont. It’s a nice argument and the part about not being able to make any more transactions may be true, but that’s not an excuse to gouge people who have already paid an exorbitant ticket price. In a perfect world they may be able to slash prices if they had more capacity, but that doesn’t mean they would do it.
On the other hand, Arizona may have cheap hot dogs, but most parks have unconscionable prices, it’s not just the D’s. The quality of play in MLB has gone up over the years with year round training etc, but IMO the enjoyment of the game from a fan’s perspective has gone down. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle and return to the affordable pricing of the past, but I wish he wouldn’t say can’t when he means wont on concessions. It’s my understanding most of the club income comes from TV revenues, not fan attendance.
Funny, I don’t remember notoriously long lines from the 60’s through the 2,000’s and the dogs were at Costco prices back in the day. It’s all of the high dollar food options that’s taking up the space to serve Dodger Dogs. Do we really want pseudo gourmet offerings at a baseball game anyway?