Utah Hockey Club announces reduced concession prices for popular items

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

That is ridiculous! The Lays chips are a dollar a bag at Dollarama, and fountain pop averages 30-50 cents per serving for the seller.

Don’t forget your 15%-20% tip also!

I’m a pretty decent tipper. But I’ll never tip at places that charge that. Or charge you $16/tall can of beer

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Truly is a generous owner that's for sure.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Don’t forget your 15%-20% tip also!

I’m a pretty decent tipper. But I’ll never tip at places that charge that. Or charge you $16/tall can of beer

I’m a decent tipper, and even I’ve all but stopped tipping on iPads. If I’m signing on an iPad, there’s a good chance I’m standing at a counter being handed stuff out of a fridge or fryer, not receiving actual tip-worthy table service. Counters are for tip jars and spare change, not full-blown percentage tips. We lost the plot on this at some point.

Obvious exceptions for places like bars, but even then — I’ll toss a bartender a buck for pouring a beer, but a percentage-based gratuity for that is laughable. There’s a difference between hand-mixing a cocktail and operating a beer tap (or worse, just pulling a bottle out of a bucket and handing it to you). That’s like tipping at McDonald’s because they poured you a soda.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

View attachment 911244

Adorable!!!

 

[vipera1960]

Ya never understood people shitting on purified water. Like it's just water with a tiny bit of salts added.

Dasani isn’t even purified water. It’s just Atlanta tap water put into bottles.

 

[Ciao]

These absurd prices are why people sneak shit in. Or try to.

And rightfully so.

Good on Utah.

. . . or better yet, just stay home and watch the game on your big screen TV with a fridge nearby.

Watching sports on a big flat-screen TV is much better than the 26" colour cathode-ray tubes some of us are old enough to have grown up with.

Quite aside from the high prices for everything -- tickets, parking and food -- and the travel time, I was turned off of live MLB games for a few years when a drunk fan behind me barfed down the back of my neck.

This isn't the 1960s anymore. We can watch these games pretty well and much more comfortably at home.

 

[joestevens29]

People who didn’t have time to eat beforehand is common, and also some people view a trip to the game as a one-off event where the food is part of the fun. If you’re only doing it once in a rare while, the exorbitant prices aren’t any more of a big deal than they are at a theme park.

But this dynamic does go a long way to explain why football tailgating makes so much sense. Get to the event early, make a full-blown picnic out of it on your own budget. Unfortunately it only works on weekends and only in places with plenty of space around the arena.

Anyway, good on Utah for catering to rhe fans early. Pull people in and let them fall in love with the game instead of grousing about getting gouged at every step. They’re not dumb, they now the price increases are coming, but at least let there be a honeymoon first.

Honestly when I go it's as if no one has time before the game or it's a one off event. The concessions are so jammed at games. Just blows my mind

Yikes!!! I have not been to a game since the pandemic, so this is shocking.

Lol that picture is at least a year old already, maybe two. Either way it is what it is I guess.

 

[TGWL]

Meanwhile in Edmonton

MGS has that combo 1 as well.. Only it doesn't come with any food, just the drink and cup combo.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

This should be common sense. You know how many $10 hot dogs I've bought in my life? None.

How many $3 hot dogs have I bought? Well, still none. Because I don't eat hot dogs. But if I did, you know damn well it would be more than zero.

Phil Kessel, we know it's you. Just admit it. The truth will set your wallet free!

 

[TD Charlie]

Not sure why more arena concessions don't follow this. There is argument to be made that concessions would be almost as profitable by reducing cost while increasing sales. Selling two pops as a dollar profit is just as good as selling one pop at two dollars profit.

At a certain point they literally can’t sell any faster than they already are. It’s all about finding the equilibrium, which I’m sure they pay a numbers guy on finding the sweet spot for pricing

Selling two drinks at a buck profit is NOT as good as selling one drink to make two bucks. Efficiency matters.

 

[JianYang]

I’m a decent tipper, and even I’ve all but stopped tipping on iPads. If I’m signing on an iPad, there’s a good chance I’m standing at a counter being handed stuff out of a fridge or fryer, not receiving actual tip-worthy table service. Counters are for tip jars and spare change, not full-blown percentage tips. We lost the plot on this at some point.

Obvious exceptions for places like bars, but even then — I’ll toss a bartender a buck for pouring a beer, but a percentage-based gratuity for that is laughable. There’s a difference between hand-mixing a cocktail and operating a beer tap (or worse, just pulling a bottle out of a bucket and handing it to you). That’s like tipping at McDonald’s because they poured you a soda.

I recently received attitude at a golf course where the lady only had to open the fridge at her booth to pass me a cold drink.

I didn't think that was something that required a tip, and I still don't think that way. I'd be more inclined to tip a bank teller who has to walk to the back to get me cash than this.

The world has become very confusing to me, lol.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Wow, an owner who isn't a greedy asshole? What a novel concept.

 

[miscs75]

That same bottle of water I think is $8 at UBS and you can’t even keep the cap. Thankfully they let me bring in my own sealed one to games. It also saves me atleast 1 trip to the fountain to refill it.

 

[Osprey]

I like how they're only now reducing prices after getting a hockey team, as if hockey fans need them more than the basketball fans did.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

If I lived anywhere near the arena I would absolutely go to games just for this. I know it's been said in the thread, but pricing at sporting venues is just out of control. Would love to go to a sporting event and actually be able to get a decent bite to eat and a drink without getting another mortgage.

 

[LakeLivin]

Atlanta has been doing this for years for the Falcons and Atlanta United. They have made more money on concessions than ever before because of it because people don't feel ripped off and come inside the building earlier. They even have like $5 draft beers. Also people end up spending more money on merch as well.

Cheap beer is good press: Why the Falcons' fan-friendly pricing is a win-win

Fan-friendly pricing makes it possible to feed a family of four at Mercedes Benz Stadium without taking out a second mortgage. But that doesn't mean the Falcons are making less money.

sports.yahoo.com

I've been sending surveys to the Devils for years now about it because as a full season ticket holder I just eat at home before or after the game because the prices are insane. It's $7 for a bottle of water. It's embarrassing.

I also have season tickets for the Red Bulls(MLS) and they don't have fan friendly prices but they have been doing this for a few years now where you can buy an all you can drink souvenir cup for $40 for the entire season. While it's still a bit expensive it's not bad at all when you divide it by all the home games so it turns into almost $2 a game if you get 1 refill each game. It's even less the more you get obviously.

I was hoping it was the start of them going towards fan friendly pricing but it hasn't happened yet. I do believe their prices are still cheaper than Prudential which is outta control right now.

Funny enough this just was brought up today on a Devils group too...


View attachment 911078

Presumably that pricing is in pesos?

 

[HBK27]

Atlanta has been doing this for years for the Falcons and Atlanta United. They have made more money on concessions than ever before because of it because people don't feel ripped off and come inside the building earlier. They even have like $5 draft beers. Also people end up spending more money on merch as well.

Cheap beer is good press: Why the Falcons' fan-friendly pricing is a win-win

Fan-friendly pricing makes it possible to feed a family of four at Mercedes Benz Stadium without taking out a second mortgage. But that doesn't mean the Falcons are making less money.

sports.yahoo.com

I've been sending surveys to the Devils for years now about it because as a full season ticket holder I just eat at home before or after the game because the prices are insane. It's $7 for a bottle of water. It's embarrassing.

I also have season tickets for the Red Bulls(MLS) and they don't have fan friendly prices but they have been doing this for a few years now where you can buy an all you can drink souvenir cup for $40 for the entire season. While it's still a bit expensive it's not bad at all when you divide it by all the home games so it turns into almost $2 a game if you get 1 refill each game. It's even less the more you get obviously.

I was hoping it was the start of them going towards fan friendly pricing but it hasn't happened yet. I do believe their prices are still cheaper than Prudential which is outta control right now.

Funny enough this just was brought up today on a Devils group too...


View attachment 911078

Yeah, these prices for drinks at the Prudential Center are disgusting. If I'm going to a game, I always make sure to grab some food and/or drinks ahead of time somewhere else.

Not that it really matters given these prices, but I also hate that the only beers they offer are tallboy cans. Used to be nice to enjoy a draft beer at a game, but even for $18 they can't be bothered with that and instead just hand you a can and expect a tip.

 

[ForsbergForever]

Dasani is amazing, I'm tired of uncultured swine bad mouthing it.

Sorry but Eska is the far superior premium bottled water.

 

[GOilers88]

IS this real???

Motherf***ers chargin $55 for 2 burgers and 2 drinks??

The lays chips cost them maybe 0.15$ per bag, the drinks a $1 each, burgers 5$ each

This is absurd

Nevermind the $21 hotdog and drink.

Costco been killing the $1.50 dog and drink for decades now lol.

 

[Toby91ca]

Not sure why more arena concessions don't follow this. There is argument to be made that concessions would be almost as profitable by reducing cost while increasing sales. Selling two pops as a dollar profit is just as good as selling one pop at two dollars profit.

It's simple economics. It's really going to depend on volume of sales. When I've been to sporting events, it's generally pretty long lines at concessions, so I can't imagine they'd sell a lot more if they lowered the prices. If they are at max volume, they should increase the price until volume comes down and vice versa. Agree that selling 2 pop at $1 profit each is the same as selling 1 pop at $2 profit, but lowering the price doesn't mean you'll double the volume.

Also, if I was running a business, I wouldn't want to double my volume to get to the same profit....if that was the only possibility, I'd like to keep low volume, less work, less inventory to manage, etc.

 

[Satans Hockey]

I like how they're only now reducing prices after getting a hockey team, as if hockey fans need them more than the basketball fans did.

I get it but better to be doing it now than never at all, especially if it opens up other NHL teams around the league to see that it works. They are doing it for Jazz games too this season and not just the hockey team so it benefits everyone at least.

 

[Toby91ca]

Nevermind the $21 hotdog and drink.

Costco been killing the $1.50 dog and drink for decades now lol.

There is obstructed views of the ice from Costco though.

 

[Coffey]

IS this real???

Motherf***ers chargin $55 for 2 burgers and 2 drinks??

The lays chips cost them maybe 0.15$ per bag, the drinks a $1 each, burgers 5$ each

This is absurd

Does MLSE charge much less?

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Smith Entertainment Group Announces $2 and $3 Concession Offerings During All Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club Games at Delta Center | Utah Hockey Club

Today, Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) introduced $2 and $3 pricing for select fan-favorite concessions that will be available during all Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club games at Delta Center, starting with the Utah Jazz preseason game on Friday, Oct. 4. Five popular items have been significantly...

www.nhl.com

View attachment 911020

Big fan of this.

Kids can be cheap hot dog with a pop and ice cream.

Adults who go 1 game a year and want to eat a hot dog don't have to break the bank.


People that want beer or more extreme items pay out the ass and you can't complain since you could have gone for the cheaper items.

I like it.

 

[Satans Hockey]

It's simple economics. It's really going to depend on volume of sales. When I've been to sporting events, it's generally pretty long lines at concessions, so I can't imagine they'd sell a lot more if they lowered the prices. If they are at max volume, they should increase the price until volume comes down and vice versa. Agree that selling 2 pop at $1 profit each is the same as selling 1 pop at $2 profit, but lowering the price doesn't mean you'll double the volume.

Also, if I was running a business, I wouldn't want to double my volume to get to the same profit....if that was the only possibility, I'd like to keep low volume, less work, less inventory to manage, etc.

Not everything has to be be about ripping fans off. The tickets and getting to the games and spending your time is enough to warrant not ripping fans off even more...

A Price Worth Paying: Blank ensured that his customers wouldn’t be gouged for food, and the result was another business success

SBJ's Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Arthur Blank had controlling and improving the fan experience at the top of his goals list when building out Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

"We are not going to gouge you because you’re in the confines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium,” said Cannon. “Street pricing was the inspiration. We’re going to treat these people with respect. They’re stepping up and making a big commitment to our franchise, just by signing the season-ticket check, and we’re not going to take advantage of them.”

Cheap beer is good press: Why the Falcons' fan-friendly pricing is a win-win

Fan-friendly pricing makes it possible to feed a family of four at Mercedes Benz Stadium without taking out a second mortgage. But that doesn't mean the Falcons are making less money.

sports.yahoo.com

“It’s working in terms of economics, but we didn’t do it in terms of economics,” Blank said. “We did it because it’s the right thing to do for the people who are supporting our business.”