It's shockingly expensive to attend a game at BDS

[Tide-one-on]

Hate to hear about the prices. I had been to at least one Bama game since 1977 and drove from Dayton, Ohio to be at my first game then. Our streak ended the Covid year and have not been to one since. We have some really fun Bama watch parties here in Pensacola I attend, or I just stay at home and cheer. I do miss the sights, the Museum, the Quad, the fans, and the shopping. My kids would love to shop!! They have moved on so it's just my wife and I. I really not sure if I will make a game this year but kind of want to. My daughter lives in Huntsville and we will probably catch one of the last two left. My son is in the Air Force and stationed in NC. Miss all of us going to the games together. May need to holler at you guys for what to do and where to park and go now. I feel like its changed a lot. It sure sounds like prices have soared!

RTR!
JR

 

[Tide-one-on]

I used to buy my tickets from John Ed Belvin?? Great guy back in the 70's and 80's

 

[deliveryman35]

Attended many games from the early 80's until around 2014/2015--at both BDS and legion field-- when I realized that the experience was no longer worth the cost. I don't see myself ever going in-person again.

 

[rolltide_21]

Utah St. game- took my youngest to his first game.

2 Conecuh Dogs
1 Hot Dog
3 bags of chips
3 Bottles of Water
Total: $56.00

 

[Probius]

My last game was the A&M game in 2018. I really want to make it down to see the new light show. I'm going to try to find Iron Bowl tickets this season. One way I make the games cheaper is by not going anywhere near the concession stand. I eat before the game so I won't have to worry about getting hungry during the game. When I go down to Tuscaloosa, I don't buy anything extra. I suppose it's easier since I'm a single man. I don't know how families make it work. If I had children, I would tell them that the concession stand is strictly verboten.

 

[Crimson1967]

They have a captive audience and people are trained to think getting a snack is part of the game.

 

[AUDub]

Falcons games have cheap concessions. I am guessing the concessions at BDS are privately run?

Arthur Blank has committed to keeping the gameday experience as cheap as he can for everything. We went to an Atlanta United game and the prices were a bit of a shock regarding concessions, but in a good way. We were able to eat lunch at the game for a reasonable amount.

 

[BamaDMD]

I agree with all of the above. My sons and Myself went this weekend. 30 bucks for parking almost 2 miles away. Went to concession stand at halftime. Bought hot dog and water. What got me on top of the prices was the super longs lines with an added bank style customer herders. Then when you get up to the concession stand, they don't even hand you your stuff anymore, you just reach and get it and move on to the cashier. Then they have the audacity to ask for a tip for the park ?!? I said no thank you and she said "really?!?" I almost told her a piece of my mind but decided to move on.

 

[BamaHoHo]

I used to buy my tickets from John Ed Belvin?? Great guy back in the 70's and 80's

He’s still selling tickets.

 

[BamaMoon]

My last game was the A&M game in 2018. I really want to make it down to see the new light show. I'm going to try to find Iron Bowl tickets this season. One way I make the games cheaper is by not going anywhere near the concession stand. I eat before the game so I won't have to worry about getting hungry during the game. When I go down to Tuscaloosa, I don't buy anything extra. I suppose it's easier since I'm a single man. I don't know how families make it work. If I had children, I would tell them that the concession stand is strictly verboten.

Yes! We went to eat at the student center food court before the game and while the Chick fil A was more expensive than other places my wife and I ate for less than $20.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

You are better off eating before entering the stadium and attempting to sneak in snacks and drinks

 

[B1GTide]

You are better off eating before entering the stadium and attempting to sneak in snacks and drinks

This is what we do for any sporting event, because this is not new and not limited to college football. It's not that we can't afford the prices - we just refuse to pay them.

 

[teamplayer]

I agree with all of the above. My sons and Myself went this weekend. 30 bucks for parking almost 2 miles away. Went to concession stand at halftime. Bought hot dog and water. What got me on top of the prices was the super longs lines with an added bank style customer herders. Then when you get up to the concession stand, they don't even hand you your stuff anymore, you just reach and get it and move on to the cashier. Then they have the audacity to ask for a tip for the park ?!? I said no thank you and she said "really?!?" I almost told her a piece of my mind but decided to move on.

As I mentioned in another thread, I did attend the MSU game, and I did enjoy being on campus again and the atmosphere of the ballgame. However, the cost and the hassle and the crowds make it something that I will only do every four or five years. Some people love the hassle and the crowds and don't seem to mind the costs, so I am glad they get to enjoy it because we do have a beautiful campus and stadium. Roll Tide!

 

[teamplayer]

This is what we do for any sporting event, because this is not new and not limited to college football. It's not that we can't afford the prices - we just refuse to pay them.

I normally refuse to buy anything at a sporting event because I just feel like a huge sucker for paying those prices, but I did buy an adult beverage the other day just because I had never been able to do that at BDS. It was way overpriced and seemed to require a tip for a guy handing it to me, but it did taste very good as we watched warm-ups. There was a family next to me who had multiple pop corns and pizzas. I started to ask how much they had spent, but then I realized it wasn't any of my business. Again, to each his own.

 

[mlh]

My brother and I have traditionally gone to 1 game a year with a friend of ours from our childhood. He lives just outsde Chicago, so he has travel expenses on top of everything else. This year we were planning to go to the aTm game but the best we could do was $2k for 4 tickets. Nope.

Went to the lakehouse and watched on the big screen instead. Grilled some steaks. Had a few cold beers (at a reasonable price). No lines for the restroom. No traffic. It was really nice - not as fun as going to the game, but all things considered, a great time. I don't see how they can fill the stadium every game with the prices for tickets and concessions being what they are.

 

[TraskiTideFan]

Y'all evidently haven't taken your family out to eat or gone to a movie lately or you would definitely be fussing about that too. LOL. I am old enough to remember when BD was just the single level bowl and not ready for PrimeTime at all. Plus back in the day, You could have a picnic lunch before the game on the Quad and didnt have to pay to do it. But today, this is what happens when you build it out to accommodate 100K plus in people and let private holding companies manage every square inch of "entertainment" property on the campus. Its now an entertainment venue ala Disney World and an "Event Venue". The ballgames now are just the filling in the pie. But it is an experience, even if you just go at least once during the season. Make it a part of the SHORT TERM BUCKET list for that year and plan ahead for it. Makes it easier when you set that expectation these days and then you can enjoy the rest of the season in the comfort of home (or your car or truck or mower if its a day game) on the TV OR the radio or your favorite Tide Radio Station Ap on your phone. But I digress. The stress of attending the Aggies game, aka the actual game itself, about did me in. Not so much the price of a hot dog or souvenir cup or game day mag or the crowds and traffic getting out of T-Town that night.

Just happy to have gone with my significant other and good friends. Its always a good experience, win, lose, or draw.

Roll Tide!

 

[BamaMoon]

This is gonna sound like an "old person" who is against change, but I'll be honest...when Bama and most other schools made it more about "the fan experience" than "the game" it took attending the game down this rabbit hole.

I know it's about the almighty dollar, but when I attended games in the 70's and early 80's tickets and concessions didn't break the average "Joe" (my uncle's name was Joe and he took my dad and me to most games we attended because he worked for John Drummond).

But in those days you went to support the team and band and had a hotdog and coke and then went home. The fans were there to experience the game.

But now the experience is about the fans, not the game. It's about loud music, impressing recruits, entertaining the fans during commercial breaks, the lights, etc.

Just for the record, I'm not against any of this, but I'm just acknowledging it's different than 40-50 years ago when the average Joe could afford to go to a game.

 

[lowend]

We are a family of four and usually attend with my inlaws, thus necessitating 6-7 tickets together. That's hard to find. Also means we can only attend cupcake games; so, while season ticket holders hate those games, I'm grateful for them. We park downtown and ride the shuttle from the municipal parking deck for around $2/person round trip. Concessions are very expensive. Yes, prices are high at restaurants, but I can actually get my family full at a restaurant for the same amount as a snack at BDS. We will keep doing one game a year because my kids and wife love it, but it will be a sacrifice for us.

Edit to add that my wife and I have three degrees from the University. We're not t-shirt fans. We've both been fans since we were small kids, she has a double major for undergrad & a graduate degree, and I have my undergrad degree from UA (my master's is from a smaller, more affordable school). I say all that to say that we have spent a lot of time at UA and paid them a lot of money for our education. It's a bummer that normal people like us can't afford to take our kids more than once a season.

 

[crimsonaudio]

This is what we do for any sporting event, because this is not new and not limited to college football. It's not that we can't afford the prices - we just refuse to pay them.

And really, stadium food is typically garbage. If you watch what you eat at all, you're not going to find anything to eat at BDS.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

It’s just numbers, guys.

You want a $10M head coach, a $7M staff, essentially unlimited budget for facilities, support staff, analysts, recruiting, AV special effects, etc., etc., ad infinitum?

On top of which, the Athletic Department writes a check to the University for scholarship tuition, including OOS. As that goes up, so goes the Athletic Department’s costs.

And football foots the tab for the non-revenue sports, which scholarships cost exactly the same. $100 face value of tickets, mid-four figure Tide Pride donation, $15 beer, $10 hot dogs and $7 soft drinks is what happens.

Keep in mind, the Athletic Department as a whole doesn’t make a whole lot of profit. So it’s not like there’s a bunch of money piling up.

I don’t see a good solution, and agree that more and more people are going to opt for their 75-inch TV, air conditioned and heated comfort, beverages at grocery story prices and a clean bathroom within 10 steps of your La-Z-Boy.

I get it….I’ve held season tickets since the second season of Tide pride (1988 or 89, not sure which), and have about reached my choke point.

And you know what‘s coming next….rather than howl at the moon (which does no good whatsoever), offer a solution. I don’t have one other than to vote with my feet. Do you have another?