All You Can Eat at the Ball Park
May 23, 2008 by Tracey Thompson
Filed under Recipes
image: www.freeimages.co.uk
This season the baseball park has become a little friendlier with All You Can Eat. Baseball has received quite a few heavy hits the last few years, frustrating fans and leaving many games near empty. MBA teams have tried to come up with ways to bring families back to the game, beyond bobble heads and racing wieners.
This season All You Can Eat Seats are available from many MBA teams including the Atlanta Braves and the Dodgers. Most tickets are only about $10 more. From USA Today:
At least thirteen of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams are offering all-you-can-eat seats for all or part of the 2008 season.
Ticket prices for these seats range from $30 at the low end with the Atlanta Braves to $200 at the high end with the St. Louis Cardinals. The majority fall within the $30-$55 range. Most teams include pre-cooked, easy-to-prepare ballpark fare such as hot dogs, nachos, peanuts and soft drinks but don’t include beer, burgers, pizzas and desserts.
•Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodgers Stadium): 3,300 seats for all home games. Location: Right field Bleachers. What’s included: Dodger dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks, water. Prices: $35 in advance; $40 on gameday. Previous price: $6 in advance; $8 on day of game.
•Toronto Blue Jays (Rogers Centre): 1,600 seats for the team’s first “All-You-Can-Eat Weekend” vs. the Royals on May 23-24-25. Location: 200 Level Outfield in right field.What’s included: Hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks. Price: $39. Regular prices: $21-$24.
•Atlanta Braves (Turner Field): Expanded to 1,500 seats in three sections, from 1,000 in two sections for all home games. Locations: Outfield, Upper Box and Club Pavillion in right center, left field corner and third base line. What’s included: Basic menu includes hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks. More expensive option adds hamburgers, french fries and ice cream. Most expensive includes barbecue, chicken wings, pulled pork, corn bread, baked beans and burgers — plus beer. Prices: $30, $45, $65. Previous prices: $16, $26, $42
•St. Louis Cardinals (Busch Stadium): Expanded to 1,360 seats from 900 for all home games. Location: 10 all-inclusive sections, ranging from “Homer’s Landing” in center field to “Commissioner’s Box” seats next to Cardinals dugout. What’s included: All-You-Can-Eat buffets, plus beer and soft drinks. Most expensive tickets include private parking and seat TV’s. Prices: $65-$200. Eight sections offer individual sales. Two sections, “Musial Bridge” and “MVP Deck,” only serve groups. Previous prices: Not applicable since the sections were designed to be all-inclusive.
•Baltimore Orioles (Oriole Park at Camden Yards): Expanded to 1,300 seats, from 800 last season, for all home games. Location: Sections 272-288 in left field. What’s included: Hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks, ice cream. Prices: $40 in advance, $45 on gameday; $55 in advance, $60 on gameday for premium games. Previous price: $25.
•Texas Rangers (Rangers Ballpark in Arlington): Expanded to 1,094 seats for 47 Thursday-Sunday home games from 616 seats for eight games last season. Location: Sections 201-209, Lexus Club Terrace, in left field corner. What’s included: Hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, nachos, soft drinks. Prices: $34; $38 for prime games. Regular prices: $25, $29.
•Oakland Athletics (McAfee Coliseum): 990 seats for all home games. Location: Sections 316-318. Upper deck behind home plate. What’s included: Hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks, ice cream. Prices: $35; $38 for premium games. Previous prices: $18-$20.
•Tampa Bay Rays (Tropicana Field): 500-700 seats. Dates are undetermined. Location: Press Level, or second level, around infield horseshoe. What’s included: Hot dogs, Italian sausage, popcorn, peanuts, nachos and soft drinks. Price: $35. Only for groups of 20 or more. Previous price: $26-$45.
•Kansas City Royals (Kauffman Stadium): Expanded to 500 seats, from 400 last season, for all home games except Opening Day. Location: Sections 230-238 down right field line. What’s included: Hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks. Prices: $40 in advance, $45 gameday. Previous prices: $30.
•Florida Marlins (Dolphin Stadium): 400 seats for six Friday night games. Location: Club level. Third base line. What’s included: Hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks. Price: $45 in advance; $50 gameday. Mostly aimed at groups, with some individual sales mixed in. Regular price: $40.
•San Diego Padres (PETCO Park): 180-250 seats for all home games. Location: Rooftop bleachers on top of Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field corner. What’s included: All-You-Can-Eat buffet including burgers, hot dogs and soft drinks. Starts one hour before the game and ends one hour into game. Price: $39. Mostly groups, some individual sales. Previous price: $10.
•Pittsburgh Pirates (PNC Park): 164 seats for all home games. Location: Section 147. Outfield Reserve, down right field line. Could expand to Section 146 depending on demand. What’s included: Hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, salads, popcorn, peanuts, ice cream, soft drinks. Price: $35 in advance, $40 gameday. Previous Price: $17.
•Arizona Diamondbacks (Chase Field): 72 seats for all home games. Location: New Home Run Porch section overhanging warning track in right and left center fields. What’s included: Hot dogs, bratwurst, burgers, chicken sandwiches, ice cream, desserts, soft drinks, plus padded seats, TV’s and private parking. Price. $75. However, fans can only purchase as a season ticket. So the total cost is $6,225 per ticket. Previous price. $20.
It is hard to go to the ballpark without buying a hot dog, but I think that what is really great is that so many ballparks are starting to showcase high-quality (and sometimes high-end) tailgate food.