MLB Teams Extending Beer Sales To Make UP for Lost Time
Photo By Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune
As the 2023 baseball season kicks into gear, everyone is adjusting to the new rules set in place this year. One of these major changes being the pitch clock. The pitch clock is the main factor in reducing the time of the game from being around three hours per game to a little under two hours and 45 minutes; which was the goal of it being put in place. However, the pitch clock shortening the length of games is not the only thing being effected.
Besides ticket sales, one of the main sources of revenue during MLB games comes from the sales from the concession stands. When you walk into any stadium before you even reach the field you are most likely placed at a concession stand. They are scattered all over the stadiums, one next to the other, because who doesn’t enjoy a hot dog or a cold beer during a spring day baseball game?
Well, the shorter length of the games means less time for fans to indulge in their favorite game day snacks, specifically those alcohol containing drinks as the sale of them is usually cut off by the seventh inning. However, to make up for the loss of revenue through the sped up games, some MLB teams have decided to extend the length of alcohol sales, as beer is one of the top beverage/food items sold during a game. The four teams so far to extend the sale of alcohol up to the eighth inning include: the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins, and the most recent to hop onto this trend, the Colorado Rockies. The cut off for alcohol sales at the seventh inning is partially there to prevent fans from over drinking and then trying to operate a vehicle once the game is over. It is interesting to see some of the organizations willing to basically compromise the safety of the fans. Allowing fans to continue to purchase alcohol up until the eight inning now, doesn’t give much time for fans to sober up before they make the commute home. The question is, will every team eventually hop on board with this? As of right now, players like Matt Strahm, a pitcher for the Phillies, does not agree with this and believes it is not in the best interest of the fans regarding their safety.
