Super Bowl 2021 Concession Stand Prices Are Outrageous

The Super Bowl is just hours away in Tampa, Florida, and concessions are now on sale. Sports [...]

By Michael Hein

The Super Bowl is just hours away in Tampa, Florida, and concessions are now on sale. Sports journalist Jim Wyatt shared a photo of the prices at one vendor for the big event, and viewers were shocked. Even for a sporting event of this magnitude, the prices seemed over the top to some.

Wyatt shared the menu from a concessions stand apparently operated by the NFL itself, including a beer bar and a food menu. The drink were more shocking to his Twitter followers — beers ranged from $18 to $14, and the selection was relatively limited. Even a bottle of water was going for $5. Meanwhile, the food was pricey as well — even a popcorn cost $14, and sandwiches, hotdogs and salads were expensive as well. The cheapest item on the menu was called a "cheese cup," available for $3.

"Who tf is paying $8 for a hot dog," one commenter wondered. Another added: "Glad the NFL is taking it easy on their customers during the pandemic. So brave and inspiring!" A third person joked: "I'll just eat before I go and hope I sit around people who don't finish their beers."

The menus also sported prominent VISA logos, letting fans know how they could pay. According to a report by CNBC, this year marks the first cash-free Super Bowl, where fans can only pay for concessions and memorabilia by card. The NFL was already plannning to make this transition by the year 2025, but the coronavirus pandemic sped up that timeline.

The pandemic dominated commentary about the Super Bowl throughout the weekend. Public health experts have expressed a lot of concern that the game would be come a "superspreader event" — not just at the stadium in Tampa, Florida itself, but around the country as football fans gather to watch the game in small groups. Harvard epidemiologist Stephen Kissler explained these concerns to CNBC.

"My biggest concern for when Covid-19 might spread at the stadium is not necessarily when people are sitting in their seats," he said. "It's actually when they are mixing in other parts of the stadium."

Those concerns may apply outside of the stadium as well. According to The Tampa Bay Times, the city has seen shoulder-to-shoulder foot traffic in the streets all weekend, and many photos and videos of the scene show few face masks, if any. Citywide ordinances mandating face masks in certain areas have not been followed, nor have those restricting occupancy in bars and restaurants. It is not clear how businesses or individuals may be punished for these infractions.

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