Stadium Beer-What's It Cost In Your City?

[MarkH024]

I was just curious as to what a beer costs in the stadiums of your city. Here in the Windy City between the United Center, Comiskey (Us Cell), Soldier Field, and that landfill (Wrigley)..I think the average beer is around $8.25 at the games here in Chicago. Absolutely ridiculous.

I was thinking about this because a talk radio show was discussing the NHL lock out, the price of tickets, and everything that goes with it. I have a hard time envisioning myself taking my twin boys to any sports games strictly for the money it costs to go. Tickets, Parking, Food, and anything else added to that you're at least $100 minimum to see a lousy game. I really think I'm going to take them to local Triple A games or independent baseball leagues. At some point i'll break down and get us all to a Bears game but that would be a special treat.

[jeremyt]

The only option we have around here is the RBC center in Raleigh where the Hurricanes play, last time I went it was like $8.50 for a beer that I swear is less than 12oz. You are right, if you want to enjoy a day at the park/stadium/center you are going to pay over $100.

[moguy1973]

$8 at the Scotttrade center for hockey here in STL. I think that Busch stadium is $7.50 for baseball and no clue for The Edwards Jones Dome and the Rams cause they suck and I don't go to their games.

[J Francho]

AAA Minor League Baseball stadium, 24oz. cans are $7. Craft beer is $7 for a pint.

[Fishing Rhino]

I can't comment on the price of beer at local venues since I do not go to them.

But this thread gives me a tiny bit more appreciation for NASCAR. At least they allow you to take coolers into the track. In fact, I think they've upped the size so you can take in maybe a dozen 12 ounce cans. And that's per person. At least it gives fans an option. If they don't want to be bothered with a cooler, they can pay the high prices. While I cannot be sure, I don't think they are at the levels mentioned for the stick and ball games that have been mentioned in prior posts. They are overpriced to be sure, but not quite as bad.

[flyfisher]

Philly sports teams are anywhere from $6 or so for the phillies up to about $9 for the eagles.

I agree with NASCAR to a point but in the three races i have been to each and every time there was at least 3 people nearby who were either tossed or puking his guts out in the stands.

Not saying i haven't seen that at other venues as well but it seems like the tailgaters get their drunk on and then slow down to an extent once the game starts as opposed to NASCAR where tehy just continue by brining the cooloer in with them.

I prefer to tailgate and get a good buzz then have a few during the game then tailgate some more afterwards while drinking water and lettign the crowds die down before leaving the parking lot.

[Fishing Rhino]

I haven't had the pleasure of seeing some drunk vomitting, but what some thoughtless cooler carriers do is this. Rather than carry the melted ice down to ground level, they simply dump it while they are in the stands. Heaven help anyone standing below. I've never gotten one of those showers, but some were narrow misses. I have seen it happen several times.

In some stands there is a "roof" beneath the seats which protects those milling around at ground level. But the older tracks and seating, not so much.

[BASSclary]

Last time I went to a Richmond race, we were told we couldn't bring in coolers, so this must be something new, then again, the last time I went was a few years back.

And I dont remember where we went for a huge college lacrosse tournament, but IIRC it was 5 bucks for a 16 oz cup.

[deaknh03]

I was just curious as to what a beer costs in the stadiums of your city. Here in the Windy City between the United Center, Comiskey (Us Cell), Soldier Field, and that landfill (Wrigley)..I think the average beer is around $8.25 at the games here in Chicago. Absolutely ridiculous.

I was thinking about this because a talk radio show was discussing the NHL lock out, the price of tickets, and everything that goes with it. I have a hard time envisioning myself taking my twin boys to any sports games strictly for the money it costs to go. Tickets, Parking, Food, and anything else added to that you're at least $100 minimum to see a lousy game. I really think I'm going to take them to local Triple A games or independent baseball leagues. At some point i'll break down and get us all to a Bears game but that would be a special treat.

$100 to see a game? Thats cheap! Tickets to see the Patriots will run you $200 and upwards, each, parking is around 35-50 depending how close you wanna get, then beers and hats, etc can run you another $100, at least. Your at $350, and then when they can't cover the spread against the lowly Cardinals, your out another $250.

[MarkH024]

$100 to see a game? Thats cheap! Tickets to see the Patriots will run you $200 and upwards, each, parking is around 35-50 depending how close you wanna get, then beers and hats, etc can run you another $100, at least. Your at $350, and then when they can't cover the spread against the lowly Cardinals, your out another $250.

I said minimum. That's just to go in nose bleed seats and parking for the most part. If you really want to do it up, you can spend $500+ easy. It's sad because it's not a family event anymore unless you're on the very wealthy side. I want my kids to be able to experience stuff like that but it makes it pretty difficult when the costs are so high.

[flyfisher]

I said minimum. That's just to go in nose bleed seats and parking for the most part. If you really want to do it up, you can spend $500+ easy. It's sad because it's not a family event anymore unless you're on the very wealthy side. I want my kids to be able to experience stuff like that but it makes it pretty difficult when the costs are so high.

The best way to get cheap tickets is to see a game where the home team sucks and people are unloading season tickets trying to recoup some cost. I went to see my eagels play the deadskins a few years back and bought my tickets the day before the game and they were less than half of face value and they were great seats.

Another reason i tailgate is to reduce costs in teh stadium. A cheap charcoal grill, some burgers, brats or whatever and a cooler full of beer will set you back less than 4 beers in the stadium itself. O na side note, don't ever plan on doing a full day tailgate at Fed Ex field.....the parking lots at teh stadium don't open till 4 hours before kickoff. My fiancee and i went up there for a monday night game and got to the stadium around 12 and had to sit there and wait for four hours till they opened the gate. It did turn into a party right there though whihc was kind of cool all by itself....

[tipptruck1]

I ma kind of shocked at the prices at miller park. Its not has bad as other places. Considering there ball park has a beer company's name on it. Beer for a 16oz plastic bottle is 6.75 or 7 bucks from a vendor. 5.50 for a 12oz cup. Pop and water are over 4 bucks.

A 14oz beer in green bay. Will run you 5.25.

As for all day tail gating. That was a rule the NFL set in place a few years ago. I think the gates can open up 3 or 4 hours before the game.

[Fishing Rhino]

Last time I went to a Richmond race, we were told we couldn't bring in coolers, so this must be something new, then again, the last time I went was a few years back.

And I dont remember where we went for a huge college lacrosse tournament, but IIRC it was 5 bucks for a 16 oz cup.

You are correct that for a while, coolers were banned at the race tracks, at least those that drew sizable crowds to provide an enticing target for terrorists.

They started that following 9/11. It may have lasted at some tracks for two or three years, but there was such an uproar from the fans, and the track attendance began to drop, that they began to allow coolers. Some tracks may still ban coolers, but the tracks we have been to soon dropped the ban on coolers. Daytona International banned coolers for speed weeks in 2012. Then, a year or two later, they allowed 6X6X12 inch soft sided insulated coolers. It could hold six cans of beverage and an ice cube or two.

If I recall correctly, they held at that for a few years, but when attendance continued to drop, due in part to the economy, and in part to alienating fans, they upped the cooler size. All of the tracks the Sprint Cup Series races on are owned by either NASCAR/International Speedway Corporation, or Bruton Smith/Speedway Motorsports Inc. We go to Daytona and Loudon every year. Daytona is an ISC track, Loudon is an SMI track, and both presently allow coolers.

[Bankbeater]

$8 at the Scotttrade center for hockey here in STL. I think that Busch stadium is $7.50 for baseball and no clue for The Edwards Jones Dome and the Rams cause they suck and I don't go to their games.

And with the construction down at the ball park going ahead it will probably cost more.

[flyfisher]

I ma kind of shocked at the prices at miller park. Its not has bad as other places. Considering there ball park has a beer company's name on it. Beer for a 16oz plastic bottle is 6.75 or 7 bucks from a vendor. 5.50 for a 12oz cup. Pop and water are over 4 bucks.

A 14oz beer in green bay. Will run you 5.25.

As for all day tail gating. That was a rule the NFL set in place a few years ago. I think the gates can open up 3 or 4 hours before the game.

Hmmm...i have only been to the linc and fed ex in the past few years and fed ex opened 4 hours before and the linc was open when we got their 8 hours before kick off and there were people already there from the night before. It might be only stadium owned parking lots which most people don't use in philly....

[retiredbosn]

100 bucks won't buy one seat ticket at the Panther games. Not even nose bleed seats, the cheapest i've found is 160, needless to say I have never been.