When the Atlanta Falcons begin play in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017, the food vendors inside the stadium will be selling their concessions at prices that are unheard of in professional sports today.
For $3 or less fans will be able to purchase nachos, a slice of pizza, hot dogs, pretzels, bags of peanuts, popcorn, waffle fries, bottled water and Coca-Cola products with unlimited refills.
Impressed? There’s more. If you are willing to pony up $4 you can get that soft drink in a souvenir cup, again with unlimited refills. $5 will get you a cheeseburger or a Bud Light. The premium menu item, the chicken tender basket, will run you $6.
The even better news as reported by Darren Rovell is that not only will this pricing be in effect for Falcons games, but any and all events that take place in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To make getting your soda refill easier, the venue will offer self-service soft drink dispensers at concession stands throughout the stadium.
These moves are as much of a marketing ploy as a fan-friendly gesture. The Falcons are hoping that volume of sales acts as a counterweight to override any lost revenue due to the price drops. Additionally, potential ticket buyers on the fence could be more likely to go ahead and buy the ticket(s) knowing that they will be able to drink and eat cheap.
This could be viewed as another strategy to combat the dead weight of “seat potatoes,” fans who purchase nothing but a ticket to the game and thus drop the profitability of their seat by not making other purchases like concessions or merchandise.
Fans of all college and professional sports will probably hope that this becomes a wide trend for venues across the nation. The reality is that this pricing is more on the level with the quality of the food being served, and no longer treats fans as a captive audience who have no other choice but to pay $8 for a hot dog if they want to eat while at the stadium.
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 03: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons throws a pass during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome on January 3, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
