National Championship Prices for Concessions Are Surprisingly Affordable

The menu at the concession stands in Mercedes-Benz Stadium Monday night is not like what you see at most big sporting events. Rather than gouging every last dollar from spectators, the organizers are keeping everybody well-fed and happy, with an order of chicken fingers going for just $6.

The food prices were pointedly publicized after ESPN reporter Darren Rovell tweeted a misleading look at the options. Rovell included pictures that showed chicken tenders going for $142, buffalo wings for $140, and desserts for $158. His followers were aghast at the price tags for the standard stadium fare.

However, Rovell’s first post listed the prices for the suites at the game. That much money feeds everyone in the box. Even still, the upper echelon gets off much worse than the fans in the individual seats, as the chicken tenders served in the box divide up to $12.70 per person — more than half of what it costs at the concession stand down below.

Rovell later tweeted the standard menu for reference, emphasizing the affordability of food at the stadium. In all likelihood, one of the event organizers begged him to set the record straight so he didn’t scare off future patrons.

The cheap eats might not make up for the ticket prices, however. National Football Championship tickets are infamously expensive, and this year they rose sharply. TicketIQ reports that the bare minimum price for the cheapest seats to tonight’s game cost $2,009 — even higher than last year’s $1,737.

Of course, that’s just the lowest bar for entry. There are seats at tonight’s game that cost up to $25,000, which puts the snack pricing into perspective.