Facing dwindling ticket sales since 2017, the SF Giants announced they’re lowering the price of beer from $14 to $9, though this only applies at select concession stands at Oracle Park.
Your San Francisco Giants have started spring training, but it’s more difficult to get excited for them this year. They regressed to a .500 team last season, they missed out on the Aaron Judge sweepstakes, which was then followed by the Carlos Correa fiasco. And so to juice your enthusiasm for attending Giants games this year, the Chronicle reports that a few, select concession stands at Oracle Park are lowering the price of domestic beer from $14 to $9 for a 14-ounce beer.
S.F. Giants: Beer prices are coming down at these Oracle Park locations https://t.co/daE1g1H3JS via @sfchronicle
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) February 24, 2023
“Coming out of two years with the pandemic, and the lockout last year, it’s kind of like our fans deserve a break,” Baer told the Chronicle. “I mean, it’s been three tough years.”
A Baer bomb was dropped on KNBR this morning:
— KNBR (@KNBR) February 24, 2023
$9 beers coming to Oracle Park this season. 🍻 pic.twitter.com/YroOceUAIm
Baer is trying to sound generous there, but several conditions apply. As the Chron notes, the discounted beer price is only in effect “at Doggie Diner stands and section 415.” And this only applies to the cheapest domestic beers, not imports.
Yes, there are several Doggie Diner locations in the Promenade and View levels of the Oracle Park. But section 415 is not available to all fans. As the Bay Area News Group points out, section 415 is “a centerfield bleacher area where fans who purchased either a 10- or 24-voucher membership could enjoy special rates on beer, as well as other member-only event invitations and offerings.” And per the News Group, that section already offered the $9 beers last year.
Further, neither the Chronicle’s nor the News Group’s reporting addresses the obvious elephant in the room here. Giants attendance has been falling every year since 2017, the last year the ballpark was routinely sold out. Yes, technically speaking, attendance went up in 2022 compared to that spectacular 2021 season. But recall that there were severe COVID-19 attendance restrictions in 2021. It was hardly an accomplishment that attendance improved over a year that only allowed 20% attendance for much of the season.
And overall, the Giants likely expect to make more money on concessions during the 2023 season. As the Chronicle points out, “Prices elsewhere at the ballpark, including other beverages and food will ‘go up slightly,’ by about 2% to 3%.”
Image: Gia R. via Yelp
