Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Prices By Football Stadium

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nfl
Given the NFL owner’s wanton disregard for their fans with the labor dispute debacle earlier this year, I’ve been paying much less attention to the football season. I check in to see if my beloved Packers have won, but that’s about it. For a number of years now — since I’ve had kids — I rarely go to a live game, usually because it’s such a time-consuming hassle and so expensive, in part because there’s four of us so costs rise exponentially. That’s especially true when it comes to beer, if you can even find anything worth drinking.

To help find a better deal, and to prove my point, Save on Brew looked at beer prices at the 32 NFL stadiums in a post entitled the 2012 – 2013 NFL Stadium Beer Price Infographic.

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Here’s what they found:

Going to the game? It’s gonna cost you. According to FanCostExperience.Com (and the source for our stadium data), prices are rising across the sport. The average beer is up 15 cents from last year at $7.28. In this economy, every cent counts.

Rounding out the price-assault on the American public, the average NFL ticket is $78.38 (that’s a regular ticket, the “premium ticket” average is $243.70), a soft drink is $4.57, a ‘dog is $4.84, parking is $27.35, a program is $4.06, and a cap celebrating your favorite team will set you back $21.38 (on average) and, of course, a few of those $7.28 beers adds up pretty fast. In fact, a family of 4 will spend, on average, $443.93.

So wow, that’s even more expensive than I’d thought. That makes movie theater food and drink look like an absolute bargain. I guess they need to make that much profit so they can pay the referees. I feel so sorry for the owners, that they must be struggling so much that they need to charge close to six times the retail price for a beer. Because if the average price for a beer at an NFL stadium is $7.28 for 17 oz., that’s 42.8 cents per ounce! That works out to be about $5.14 for 12 ounces. A six-pack of Bud Light at my local BevMo costs $5.79, making it pretty close to six times the price. Now that’s gouging.

For a mainstream craft beer it’s almost as bad. A six-pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale costs $8.99 at BevMo, meaning 12 ounces of pale ale will cost you more than half of the price of an entire six-pack outside the stadium.

Notice the average cost for a family of four? $444! Seriously, how many people can afford that on a regular basis? Another similar survey of NFL prices on Visual.ly, entitled The Real Cost of Attending a Game, likewise concluded that the average cost to a family of four is $427.42. In that survey, they found the average price for a small beer to be $7.13, a pretty similar result. Given how much money the owners make, it it really reasonable to charge so much for tickets and other concessions at the game? I understand that in some sense they’re market prices. There are enough people willing to pay that much, and many games are sold out or nearly so. But does that make it right? Especially when owners complain they can’t afford to pay the refs. Every few years they fleece the community in which they live, threatening to move the team if they’re not given free money, or at least tax relief, to build a new stadium they probably don’t need. Don’t believe that? Read Field of Schemes.

It’s really a shame. I love the game. I like watching the games, cheering on my favorite team, especially with my son. I know it’s a business. I get that. But sports is really a part of the entertainment industry, so it’s not exactly like other businesses. As the recent strikes in baseball, basketball and football have shown, team owners really seem to believe that the people who consume their products — the fans — don’t matter all that much. But they could ease up on the beer prices and still make a healthy profit. That’s a decision I could drink to.

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Beer In Ads #722: Congratulations To The Pennant Winners!

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Wednesday’s ad, as the first game of the World Series begins, is from 1955 for Knickerbocker Beer. Calling itself “Your World Series Favorite,” it must have tough for the New York City beer to choose sides, as the world series that year was between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Dodgers won the series in seven games. Go Giants!

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NFL Football: Pick The Winners At Brookston Fantasy Games 2012

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football
This is the sixth year for the Brookston Fantasy Football Games. We’ve had a lot of fun over the last five, so if you love football and beer, consider joining us this year, whether you’ve played in past seasons or are a newcomer. The NFL season begins on Wednesday September 5, so you’ve got about five days to sign up.

I’ve again set up two free Yahoo fantasy football games, one a simple pick ’em game and the other a survival pool. Up to 50 people can play each game (that’s Yahoo’s limit, not mine), so if you’re a regular Bulletin reader feel free to sign up for one or even both. It’s free to play, all you need is a Yahoo ID, which is also free. Below is a description of each game and the details on how to join each league and play.

Standings for both leagues will be listed at the bottom of the Bulletin’s right column.

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Pro Football Pick’em

In this Pick’em game, just pick the winner for every game each week, with no spread, and let’s see who gets the most correct throughout the season. I’ve added a new wrinkle this year. Since we’re all very busy, and you (or I) might screw up at least one week, you can now throw out your lowest week. All that’s at stake is bragging rights, but it’s still great fun.

Also, like last year, we’ll be able to keep picking all through the playoffs, so the game will continue through to the Super Bowl, which is pretty cool.

In order to join the group, just go to Pro Football Pick’em, click the “Sign Up” button (or “Create or Join Group” if you are a returning user). From there, follow the path to join an existing private group and when prompted, enter the following information…

Group ID#: 11630 (Brookston NFL Pick To Win)
Password: brookston

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Survival Football

If picking all sixteen football games every week seems like too much, then Survival Football is for you. In Survival Football, you only have to pick one game each week. The only catch is you can’t pick the same team to win more than once all season. And you better be sure about each game you pick because if you’re wrong, you’re out for the season. Actually last year they added a new feature and I changed the game so to be kicked out you have to be wrong twice. In that way more people stand a better chance of lasting longer into the season. So get one wrong, and you’re still okay, get a second wrong, now you’re gone for the season. Last man standing wins.

Again, like last year, we can keep picking all through the playoffs, assuming our luck holds. So the game could even continue through to the Super Bowl.

In order to join the group, just go to Survival Football, click the “Sign Up” button and choose to “Join an Existing Group”, then “Join a Private Group”. Then, when prompted, enter the following information…

Group ID#: 4804 (Brookston Survival League)
Password: brookston

With 50 players allowed in each game, there’s plenty of room, so don’t be shy. Sign up for one or both games. Beginning after the first weekend of the regular season I’ll post the standings on the home page (at the bottom of the right-hand column) and then each Monday after that through the season. Why not join us?

Beer In Ads #628: Great Ballplayers Drink Lite

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Wednesday’s ad is for Miller Lite, from 1982. Given Matt Cain’s amazing perfect game earlier tonight for the Giants, I thought a baseball ad would be appropriate. In this case, it’s “Mr. Baseball” Bob Uecker and his self-deprecating humor. Still, it’s pretty funny. “Great ballplayers drink Lite because it’s less filling. I know. I asked one.”

Miller-1982-lite

Play Brookston Home Run Derby

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baseball
Over the last few weeks I’ve been trying to figure out if I could have a fantasy baseball game this season — similar to each football season and March Madness — but haven’t really had the time to figure it out. A regular baseball fantasy league seems like too much work, especially as my actual knowledge of current players is so thin. Every year I’ve played in one, I come in dead last, which is not my idea of a good time. But I may have figured out at least something to try, even if it is last minute, what with opening day of the baseball season tomorrow.

This year, Yahoo Fantasy Sports is offering a number of fantasy baseball games, and one caught my eye as potentially a lot of fun but much easier to play, in terms of time commitment and knowledge necessary. It’s called Home Run Derby, and you draft a team and get points only when one of your players hits a home run. You have a roster of 15 players, and each day you have to field a player at each infield position, plus 3 outfielders and a “Util” (utility) player from any position, to round it out to nine (and since pitchers won’t really count for much in this type of game), leaving six players for your bench. Each time one of your players hits a home run, you get a point. If one of your players hits a grand slam, you pick up four points. Whoever racks up the most points over the season is declared the winner, with all attendent bragging rights.

Currently, Yahoo allows the maximum number of teams in a league to be 20, and I already gave a slight preference and invited everyone who played last year or played Marzen Madness. So far, we have six teams, so there are 14 spots left. If you want to play, sign up now. As soon as we reach 20, I’ll turn the league status to “ready” and the auto draft should begin within 24 hours. So we may miss the first day or two of the season, but the settings give me the impression that it may go back and assign retroactive points, so we’d all get the points we’re due anyway. If not, we’re still all in the same boat.

Below are the instructions if you want to play Brookston Home Run Derby this year, but hurry up so you don’t miss out. If it won’t let you sign up, check to make sure we’re not full yet. If we are, sorry about that, there’s always next year. I’ll post the standings throughout the season and update them at least weekly, if not more often.

In order to join the league, follow this link or go to game front page, click the “Sign Up Now” or “Get Another Team” button and follow the links to “Join a Custom League”. When prompted, enter the League ID# and password below.

League ID#: 144900
Password: Homer

We will send you a confirmation with further details once you have completed the registration process.

brookston-baseball

Anchor Plaza Debuts At AT&T Park

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anchor-new
Today was media day at AT&T Park, where the San Francisco Giants play. It’s not the kind of event I’m normally invited to, but this year is a little different. Debuting this season at the Giants’ stadium is Anchor Plaza, a new area behind the giant scoreboard where fans can find beer from Anchor Brewing, among other related goodies.

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An Anchor beer stand sits in the center of Anchor Plaza.

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Which is known as Anchor Taproom.

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There’s plenty of seating in Anchor Plaza.

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And the entire Anchor Plaza is also ringed with related food and beverage vendors.

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Anchor co-owner Keith Greggor behind the taps at the Anchor Taproom. Sadly, no beer was flowing today.

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The sign overlooking Anchor Plaza.

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Which is located out of sight, behind the scoreboard. It looks like it could be a great place to get away from the crowds for a spell, and enjoy an Anchor Steam Beer. There are large screen televisions back there so you won’t miss the game while you sip your beer.

Marzen Madness 2012 Reminder: Sign Up Today To Play

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basketball
With the first tip-off tomorrow, today is the last day to sign up to try to pick the winners for this year’s March Madness. I’ve again set up a bracket game through Yahoo which I call “Märzen Madness.” It doesn’t look like there’s a limit to the number of people who can play, so sign up and make your picks before March 15, which is when the first games take place. I’ll post and update standings each day there’s games played until a winner is declared.

To join Märzen Madness and play the Yahoo! Sports Tournament Pick’em game, just follow this instructions below. You’ll also need a Yahoo ID (which is free if you don’t already have one).

To accept the invitation, just follow this invitation link. For reference, here’s the group information.

Group ID#: 10019
Password: beer

Good luck everybody.

Marzen Madness 2012

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basketball
While not the biggest fan of college basketball, I still enjoy March Madness every year. The tournament is usually a fun diversion for a few weeks each year, so for the second straight year, I’ve set up a fantasy game, similar to fantasy football. It’s a bracket game through Yahoo which I call “Märzen Madness.” It doesn’t look like there’s a limit to the number of people who can play, so sign up and make your picks before March 15, which is when the first games take place. I’ll post and update standings each day there’s games played until a winner is declared.

To join Märzen Madness and play the Yahoo! Sports Tournament Pick’em game, just follow this instructions below. You’ll also need a Yahoo ID (which is free if you don’t already have one).

To accept the invitation, just follow this invitation link. For reference, here’s the group information.

Group ID#: 10019
Password: beer

Good luck everybody.

The Super Bowl: By The Numbers

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super-bowl-xlvi-2012
You usually see this kind of list for Oktoberfest; how much beer, how many sausages, etc. But Tree Hugger put together a list of what’s consumed during the Super Bowl: By the Numbers: Super Bowl Facts and Figures. The statistics are from 2010’s big game, but I feel confident they’re close enough. Here’s the most important numbers, about the beer.

  • 325.5 million: Gallons of beer drank by Americans that day.
  • 493: Number of Olympic-sized swimming pools that could be filled with all that beer.

A few more:

  • $5.6 billion: Amount consumers will spend on Super Bowl related items.
  • 1 billion: Number of chicken wings consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
  • 194 million: Approximate number of blades of grass on the football field.
  • 151.6 million: Number of people who will watch at least part of the game.
  • 28 million: Pounds of potato chips consumed.
  • 293,000: Number of miles of potato chips, laid end to end, consumed during the game.
  • 232: Number of countries and territories in which the game will be broadcast.
  • 34: Number of languages the game is broadcast in.
  • 1: Number of languages in which the word “football” doesn’t mean “soccer.”

Check out the rest of the list on Tree Hugger.