Young adults are becoming baseball fans, or at least going to more games. Why? Well, a recent study in the Washington Post makes note of a rise in craft beer options at ballparks.
In stadiums like Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, or Safeco Field in Seattle, “the market has exploded.” Since 2011, more young people have attended games and craft sales have gone up with them. In response, Cincinnati has installed dozens of additional craft beer taps.
Meanwhile, Seattle, known for being a hip, new age kind of place, has dominated the selling of ‘good’ beer since the park’s opening. Since then, Safeco Field has welcomed many local breweries, and it’s fans appreciate them by purchasing nearly 4x more craft than domestic-style beers. Meaning major MLB sponsors like Budweiser, Miller, and Coors, are being hung out to dry (pun intended).
Case in point… Minnesota.
This past month, Target Field installed the world’s first self-serving beer station.
All you have to do is buy a pre-loaded card, and you can have at it. Domestic brews such as Budweiser and Bud Light cost only $0.38/oz. But you can also purchase Shock Top and Goose Island Pale Ale (a great Chicago beer), for $0.40/oz.
Clearly, craft beers are becoming more affordable because micro breweries are realizing the market potential of baseball games. What’s better than getting your little beer tasted by thousands of people in one night? And trust me, young people will drink it if the price is right.
It isn’t difficult to realize why young people are attending games. It is cheaper than a concert. They can hear themselves speak, unlike at a nightclub. And now, they can finally drink their favorite beers. It is almost like they are at a neighborhood dive bar, just with the smell of peanuts in the background.
The sport needs more fans, and young ones. Even if you go to a Padres game only to drink Stone IPA with your buddies, you are still at the game. And if you have a good time, you will be more likely to return. Baseball knows this.
Way to ‘craft’ an audience, MLB.
Tags : 2014, Baseball, beer, Budweiser, buzzworthy, Cincinnati, Coors, Craft beer, drinking, Food & Drink, food & drink for men, Hipsters, IPA, Miller, MLB, Seattle, The Scene
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