After Price-Hike, San Francisco 49ers Offers Season Ticket Holders “Free” Hot Dogs And Fries

As the cost of attending an NFL game continues to rise, the San Francisco 49ers are looking to lure in and retain season ticket holders by offering them “free” food and nonalcoholic beverages, according to Bloomberg.

A new program called the Member Inclusive Menu initiative will now be included with season tickets, which range from $85 to $375 per game. Levi’s Stadium is the first in the NFL to offer this type of service.

The costs of tickets, the team’s performance. and parking remain three of the key factors in a customer’s game-day satisfaction, according to surveys. As owners compete to give their fans more bang for their buck, the idea of including food and drink came arose. 

Team President Al Guido said: 

“No one has ever gone the path of literally having all food and beverage be included in the price point you pay for season tickets. It’s not easy to pull off at this scale.”

Currently the team has about 60,000 season ticket holders, who account for about 90% of the seating at the stadium. About 98% of these customers have renewed since the stadium opened in 2014. The price of season tickets will rise about $20 per ticket next year. The 13% hike is the first increase since the stadium opened. 

The Niners took part of the idea from the Atlanta Falcons, who offer “fan-friendly” concession pricing at their stadium as part of a partnership with Levy Restaurants. Levy allows the Falcons to offer food items at “prices far below other sports facilities” and also operates the concessions at Levi’s stadium. 

The Niners also reviewed hundreds of thousands of fan feedback messages in their decision making process.

The food credit will equate to about $20, which will buy you a hot dog, fries and large soda at the stadium. The credit also includes nachos, garlic fries and chicken tenders, but excludes specialty items like sushi and crab sandwiches. 

Tickets sold to suites or on a single game basis will not be included in the promotion. 

Price is what you pay, value is what you get.