The Lions spent time this spring examining lower concession prices with Levy Restaurants GETTY IMAGES
Fans going to Lions games at Ford Field this season "won't need as much money for concessions," as the team "unveiled new prices for food and drink," according to Kirkland Crawford of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. At Ford Field this season, a beer "will be $5, a hot dog-soda-chips combo is $10 and a hot dog-beer-chips combo is now $12." For the first 60 minutes after doors open, fans can get a soda for $2, a hot dog for $2, a beer or a cocktail for $3, or a "specialty drink for $5." Doors "ordinarily open at Ford Field two hours before kickoff." The Lions "spent time this spring examining lower concession prices" with concessionaire Levy Restaurants (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/15). In Detroit, Justin Rogers notes the Lions are "matching the wildly successful $5 beer pricing" introduced by the Falcons in '17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Levy also "manages the Falcons concessions." Lions President Rod Wood said, "We were looking at it with Levy and trying to learn what we could from what worked in Atlanta ... and adapt it to the best we could" (DETROIT NEWS, 8/15). In Michigan, Kyle Meinke wrote the Lions' new concessions prices are "not quite" what the Falcons are offering, but M-B Stadium also was built "with its low pricing in mind." Ford Field was not "built to handle that kind of volume," but the Lions were able to "make some changes anyway, like installing new point-of-sales systems that speed up turnover" (MLIVE.com, 8/14). Detroit Free Press' Brian Manzullo tweeted, "More stadiums and ballparks need to do this." Detroit-based WILX-NBC's Seth Wells: "I love the change, helps influence fans to get into Ford Field earlier!" Invite Manager VP/Strategic Partnerships Matt Ansis: "Great move and foresee this happening more and more" (TWITTER.com, 8/14).
HOOKED ON LOW PRICES: In DC, Jacob Bogage noted the Univ. of Texas announced this month it would "slash game-day concessions prices" at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on "items such as hot dogs (from $5 to $4), popcorn (from $4.50 to $3) and fountain sodas (from $5 to $3)." If UT has success with reduced concessions pricing, Univ. of South Carolina Assistant Professor of Sport & Entertainment Management Nick Watanabe said that it will "spread quickly through the rest of college sports" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/14).
