Less Cents Makes Sense

One of the evil necessities that fans seem to need while watching a hockey game are concessions. Whether it be an overpriced adult beverage, an excessively-priced hot dog, an extravagantly-priced bucket of popcorn, or some other concession item, it seems that professional sports teams have four- or five-digit profit margins on some of these items. I get why teams do this since maximizing profits on something that most people will buy no matter what the cost seems like a no-brainer, but when we're talking double-digit prices for a hot dog or a soft drink for more than $5 it becomes a lot harder to stomach. Thankfully, it seems one NHL team has decided to respect its fans and their wallets by introducing pricing that makes sense for popular concession items. And I want to thank them for this decision.

I haven't been very high on the Utah Hockey Club so far, but owner Ryan Smith seems to understand that fan experience matters at his games. In saying that, Smith and the Utah Hockey Club announced today that they'll offer concession items at rather reasonable prices. How reasonable, you ask? Check out these prices offered by Utah HC.

If I can get four hot dogs for $12, I can feed a family easily. That makes coming to the rink right after work more palatable because it won't cost me a mortgage payment for concessions. Tack on a couple of ice creams for the kids, and we're still below $20 for dinner. That's how food at hockey games should be priced if you want people to eat at your arena.

As stated in their release, "[f]ive popular items have been significantly reduced in price – for a complete dining experience costing less than $14 if selecting one of each – and will be available at a variety of convenient, easy-to-find locations on concourse Level 3 and Level 5. Designed based on valuable fan feedback SEG received over the past season, the newly reduced pricing represents a reduction in cost to fans greater than 45%."

This is the kind of decision that shows real insight into how fans see concession items set at exorbitant prices. Yes, there will still be specialty items, adult beverages, and other concessions that will cost more than these reasonably-priced items, but for families who have already spent $500 on tickets ($125 per ticket x 4), getting a break at the concession counter is a nice change of pace. Being able to feed a family of four for $20-30 depending on beverages is a fantastic win after spending hundreds on tickets.

"By introducing fan-favorite concessions at incredible prices, we're showing fans that we are listening to their needs, and, there is no better time than now to take this step as more people than ever will attend games at Delta Center this season, as we prepare to host over 80 nights of sports entertainment between the Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club," Chris Barney, president of revenue and commercial strategy for Smith Entertainment Group, said in the release.

Colour me impressed with this move by the Utah Hockey Club, and my hope is that other teams around the league follow their lead by pricing some of their concession items more reasonably. Again, I'm not saying that all specialty items need to be priced with a thin profit margin, but getting a hot dog, a bottle of water, and an ice cream for $10 shouldn't break the bank for any NHL team. It clearly won't in Salt Lake City, so kudos to Ryan Smith, the Utah Hockey Club, and their vendors on making this possible for their fans!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!