Seahawks should follow Falcons’ example with concession prices

It sure would be nice if the Seattle Seahawks would follow the lead of the Atlanta Falcons and lower their concession prices to a reasonable level.

The NFL is a shrewd money-making industry. Teams will do anything to increase revenue. Luckily, one team is finally taking their fans into consideration. It would be great if the Seattle Seahawks would join in.

Meanwhile in Seattle, a craft brew costs only slightly less than a mid-sized car. Want to buy food and drinks for a family of four? You better be ready to take out a second mortgage. Concession prices at CenturyLink Field are insane.

I get that the team charges so much because they know they can. Selling out every game for 13 years will do that. The Seahawks know they can raise prices every year and fans will pay it anyways. We’re all trapped in the building for 4-plus hours; food and drinks must be consumed.

The Falcons aren’t in the same position. That’s a fair-weather fanbase of a team that’s been bad for a few seasons in a row. Owner Arthur Blank is trying to make sure people keep coming to games. When buying lunch means selling off your liver on the black market, most people are going to pass.

There’s also something to be said about letting your fans enjoy themselves a little bit. Games would be decidedly more fun if you weren’t constantly grappling with the guilt that you chose eating a hotdog over your kids getting gifts at Christmas time. Perhaps us 12s would be even louder if half of us weren’t so weak with hunger.

So in this era of constant concession inflation, it is nice to see one team going against the grain and giving their fans a break. It costs enough just to get in the door; a plate of nachos shouldn’t require liquidating your retirement account.

So, while we wait for Paul Allen to read this and decide to do the right thing, I’m getting a thirsty. I wonder if anyone will take my watch in trade for 4 ounces of Pepsi.