Miller Park food policy change?

[jeffy]

Think of a family of four. They bring in four bottles of water at probably $1 total cost, or buy them inside for what, $16? Add on some peanuts or something. Some famlies don't have the luxury of thowing $15 or more, down the drain on overpriced food. As each year goes by, all sports not just the Brewers and baseball, are pricing the average family right out of the park. I see this as one more step in that direction.

How about a game ticket, hot dog, and soda for $10 per person...only $40 for that family of four for admission and food combined.

 

Badger Mutual Insurance Family Days

On Sunday home games, fans may purchase at least one day in advance a Terrace Reserved ticket, a hot dog and a small soda for $10. Compliments of Badger Mutual Insurance Company.

[BuckyTuba]

i was going to say: what is going to happen to the outside the stadium peanut vendor industry?

[Legacy25GT]

If they're worried about delays with checking people, I saw a pretty good system when I went the series in Denver last June. They had an express lane for fans with no carry-ins. The normal line was backed up, and the express lane had no one in it. Seemed to work well.

[Patrick425]

As others said, you gotta eat more than once every 3 hours? Golly.

 

Yeah, 3 hours may not seem like a lot, but when you are not engaged in some sort of physical activity, it's hard to just sit there and not eat or drink anything. It's like going to the movies and having popcorn and soda. It's part of the experience. Would you sit and watch TV for 3 hours and not have anything to drink or eat?

I'm guessing that the people who take advantage of the carry in policy the most are the people who attend more games than your average fan. The customer that attends one or two games a year is usually not even aware of the carry in policy or figures that they don't go to that many games anyways, so they can splurge at the games they do attend.

[tristarscoop]

If they're worried about delays with checking people, I saw a pretty good system when I went the series in Denver last June. They had an express lane for fans with no carry-ins. The normal line was backed up, and the express lane had no one in it. Seemed to work well.

Wrigley does the same thing, which is a great. But they have it kind of backwards in that when you're coming in, the express line is "first" and so that long line of people blocks everyone else from being able to get to the "express lanes."

 

As someone who goes to 25 or so games a year, I appreciate not only the cost effectiveness of the carry-in policy, but also the ability to bring in the type of diet soda and low-cal snacks I want to eat. That being said, it's always weird when you see the guy pull out the Subway bag or the family with the gallon sized ice cream bucket full of chips/popcorn. Not necessarily bad - but it just always looks odd.

 

All that being said, the carry in policy allows me to enjoy the whole experience on an extremely frequent basis. I don't have to save up money and going MP isn't just a treat I can have when I save up enough money. That's huge to me. People are CONSTANTLY commenting to me about how many games I go to. With the ticket savings opportunities and the carry-in policy, it's one of the cheapest things my SO and I can do together.

[Tbadder]

Look, what else are the Brewers going to do? They've pretty much maxxed out their revenue stream this year. They gotta grow somehow. They already priced out some people (my first year since their first year in Milwaukee that I'll witness no games in person) and ticket prices can't continue to rise the way they need to, to compete with big market teams. I think it makes since and we should be understanding.

[hawing]

i was going to say: what is going to happen to the outside the stadium peanut vendor industry?

I wondered the same thing. Maybe there would be fewer mini-backups on Blue Mound Road as people stop to get peanuts. (Slight silver lining?)

 

I think the Brewers should tread carefully when tweaking the carry-in rule. Wisconsinites are thrifty and seize value wherever they can get it. Stopping all carry-ins at once could create a backlash. Phasing it in might be more acceptable (food one year, drink the next, or vice versa). Stopping all carry-ins in combination with a ticket price increase (the latter is something I've been expecting for 2009) would create a double whammy that I doubt would be well received.

 

We don't usually buy a lot of ballpark food, both because of the price and because of the "nutrition facts" about most MP fare. We prefer to stop and eat on the way to a game. If we're pressed for time (which has happened more often this year, due to traffic issues caused by bigger crowds and road construction), we'll stop at Milio's or some such place and bring in sandwiches, but we could return to eating at Milio's or wherever if that means being able to eat more cheaply (and at least a little more healthfully).

 

The exception might be if the Brewers win the World Series; then maybe people won't care. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[wallus]

I would MUCH rather have this policy change versus adding that much more money to the price of tickets.

[dadofandrew]

I usually buy a brat myself, but when on an eating plan, just eat something before the game. Again, it's 3 hours. The security people only had to check about 3 people out of the 100 or so we saw the first game we went to (the second, we went in the club express line). It's a non-issue for most folks.

[sgtcluels]

Ohhh and if they claim that this is due to delays getting in. How about not build a huge store closing an additional walk in area? That might totally have helped.

 

Or perhaps build a wider entrance area ontop of the current ones.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I will be going to my 26th and 27th games this weekend for the year and this rule doesn't really bother me. I think I brought in food like once this year. I enjoy the Miller Park food and even though it's a little more $$$, at least it tastes good. Completely off topic, I just turned PTI on and C.C. being interviewed. SWEET!

[jhart05]

How about a game ticket, hot dog, and soda for $10 per person...only $40 for that family of four for admission and food combined.

 

Badger Mutual Insurance Family Days

On Sunday home games, fans may purchase at least one day in advance a Terrace Reserved ticket, a hot dog and a small soda for $10. Compliments of Badger Mutual Insurance Company.

 

 

 

Yes, I am aware of those deals.

[logan82]

The brats at the stadium are pretty bad. I much prefer to make my own brats boiled in beer and grilled. If I can't bring in food, the McDonalds off the interstate is going to get more business from me. The only thing I would buy at the ballpark is beer or ice cream. There is no way I would buy any of those things they refer to as brats.

[brains and braun]

Now, instead of carrying in great food from outside, like Fred's custard stand on Vliet, I will have to pay more, and will wind up with glorified cafeteria food. It's not just all about price. Nothing out at the park is all that outstanding. I certainly wouldn't make a special trip to eat any of their offerings. Crap served in a plastic hat is still crap, and can we get someone in there that knows how to cook a hot dog? I like mine to have some grill flavor to downplay the fact that I'm eating testicles and snouts.

[TSack27]

Look, what else are the Brewers going to do? They've pretty much maxxed out their revenue stream this year. They gotta grow somehow.

Get a good team of lawyers & business minds and figure out a way to break that undermarket FSN contract. Come'on, this is sports, who doesn't break contracts?

 

 

I don't have a great argument to support the adults that have problems working around the eating/drinking issue for 3 hours; well, except for diabetics. And then there really should be an allowance for children, whether in my group or the adjacent one, it's not fair to the neighboring fans if there are whining or crying kids nearby. So if you're gonna start making exceptions for one group, then...

[twobrewers]

I would MUCH rather have this policy change versus adding that much more money to the price of tickets.

I already talked to my ticket rep about re-upping for next year in the terrace reserve.

 

He mentioned a likely increase of a "couple bucks" per ticket. (Which would be a pretty significant increase)

 

As for not allowing carry-ins...I would be really upset if I didn't plan on just sneaking my peanuts and water into the ball park anyways.

[brains and braun]

And two brewers makes the best point so far. Oh, but the one usher that patrols the upper deck per year may catch me...

[Invader3K]

Look, what else are the Brewers going to do? They've pretty much maxxed out their revenue stream this year. They gotta grow somehow.

Get a good team of lawyers & business minds and figure out a way to break that undermarket FSN contract. Come'on, this is sports, who doesn't break contracts?

 

I wonder how much the new contract with WTMJ brought in. I hope the Brewers gouged them pretty well, but I somehow doubt it, seeing how chummy the two organizations seem to be. They can only up the prices on tickets and concessions so much before they'll have to find other ways to grow. They're only under the crummy FSN contract for a couple more seasons, at least.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Don't you guys usually cook out before the games anyways? I'm not seeing how this is that big of a deal.

[Leinie Lodge]

If ...

 

Higher Ticket Prices + No Carry-Ins = Keeping CC

 

then oh yeah DO IT !

[pitchleague]

The brats at the stadium are pretty bad. I much prefer to make my own brats boiled in beer and grilled. If I can't bring in food, the McDonalds off the interstate is going to get more business from me. The only thing I would buy at the ballpark is beer or ice cream. There is no way I would buy any of those things they refer to as brats.

this statement I will agree with completely 100%. The brats at County Stadium were to die for. I don't know what they did--maybe it was the years and years of grease and sausage residue on the grills--but they were awesome. The few times that I have been privileged to go to Miller Park (remember, I live in AZ) the sausages are those darn white "stadium-style" brats. Come on! EVERY park does those.

 

Maybe it's because County Stadium, for the most part, used Johnsonville Brats? There's got to be a reason that Bob Costas would always reveal his brat-intake during the Saturday Game of the Week on NBC whenever he was in Milwaukee. Because now when he visits Miller Park (in the booth with Ueck or wherever) you never hear it anymore.

 

As for taking in food, I still remember the afternoons and evenings popping popcorn at my cousin's house in Brookfield and filling paper grocery bags with it. And making some kool-aid in some nice big camping thermos. Man, those were the days.

 

I think it's a mistake. Even the D-Backs have started to allow some things to be taken into the ballpark. There are restrictions, of course, but you can bring stuff in.

[Patrick425]

If ...

 

Higher Ticket Prices + No Carry-Ins = Keeping CC

 

then oh yeah DO IT !

Ahh yes, I'm sure this is the secret to how the Yankees can afford a $200 mil + payroll. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/eyes.gif

A little off topic but....did not not know that the entire bleacher section in Yankee Stadium is Alcohol Free...who knew?

 

[AdvantageSchneider]

I would question the logic that banning carry-ins is somehow going to magically speed up the time it takes to get into the stadium. The ushers now check bags for booze and beer. If they ban carry ins they will just have to check for booze, beer and food. How does that speed up the process? Women are still going to bring purses to the stadium. Families with little children will bring diaper bags. All those things will still need to get checked. The ushers aren't going to stop checking bags b/c the brewers change their carry in policy.

 

I fail to see how this is going to speed up getting people into the stadium. Just a bad idea all around, b/c the people bringing food in, aren't likely going to buy concessions, b/c as several people pointed out, it is just 3 hours without food.

[sgtcluels]

Don't you guys usually cook out before the games anyways? I'm not seeing how this is that big of a deal.

Not on weekday games. Get into the lot some time around 6 - 6:30. That's enough time to split a 6 pack on the way to the door.

 

Generally speaking if I go multiple times a week I'll just pick up a sub/soda before heading to the park. If they change the policy, looks like McDonalds. Then I'll sue the Brewers for clogged arteries, with the settlement I can afford to eat Ballpark food.

[bani1717]

Maybe there would be fewer mini-backups on Blue Mound Road as people stop to get peanuts. (Slight silver lining?)

Don't take Blue Mound Road into games. I always head east on Wisconsin, then turn right onto Blue Mound right after crossing the bridge over hwy 41. There is much less traffic this way - on Opening Day, I cut a 1/2 mile line of bumber to bumer traffic down to less than a block this way.

 

As far as the food/drink carry-in rule is concerned, this really would not make me happy if they changed the rules. I will make it to 50 or so games this year. I have spent a grand total of about $20 at Miller Park on food and drink so far this year. If I bought a SINGLE BRAT at every game I went to, I would spend over $200 on food. If I bought a brat and a soda, I would spend over $400 on concessions - more than I spent on my season tickets this year. I eat before a game when I can, but when you go to 50 games a year there are undoubtedly times when it just isn't convenient to eat beforehand. This is where the carry-in policy really helps me. And it's more than 3 hours I would have to go without food - once you factor in drive time, walking to the ballpark from where I park, and sometimes getting there a little early, it's more like a 4.5-5 hour commitment for me.