With Major League Baseball’s new rules taking effect, the length of games has been shortened significantly. Through the first week and a half of the season, the average game time was down 31 minutes, on track to be the sport’s lowest since 1984.
With that could pose one problem to the ball clubs, less time for people to indulge in adult beverages. Some teams have begun to counter this.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers have extended alcohol sales through the eight inning this season. The majority of MLB teams cutoff alcohol sales after the seventh inning.
One inning may not sound like a lot, especially since they are quicker, but over an 81 home-game slate, that can add up.
And if you think a professional sports team is going to lose out on making money, you must not be paying attention.
The Rangers allowed some sales in the eight inning last season. They are making it more prominent after the pitch clock addition this year. They also allow in-seat service to all fans, who can order on their phones. This helps fans not miss as much of the game while waiting in line at concession stands.
Again, with the game happening faster, fans miss more of it when away from their seats. A smart move by the club.
A main reason stadiums have cut off sales after the seventh inning is to lower odds of people being overserved and drive home drunk.
Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm said that he disagreed with extending alcohol sales beyond the traditional 7th-inning cutoff, citing the "safety of fans." https://t.co/mFQqLIVjJC pic.twitter.com/rLg6h4eWL4
— ESPN (@espn) April 13, 2023
Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger told MLB.com that their move to extend alcohol sales through the eighth was an experiment.
“If it turns out that this is causing an issue or we feel that it might cause an issue, then we’ll revert to what we have done previously,” Schlesinger said.
Should the Tigers Follow Suit?
The big question for you the fan is do you want the Detroit Tigers to do this too? I’m sure the answer for most of you is yes.
It’s not going to make a difference to fans if alcohol is sold in the eighth inning or not. Outside of the fact it provides the option later in the game to get one more beer.
The Tigers are looking like a bad team again. Meaning having another beer will probably help them be more entertaining to watch.
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For more from the author Jeramy Stover, check him out on Twitter here: @jstover96
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