In that picture, Vince Vaughn is telling Jennifer Aniston, "See all those fans in the stands? They don't have our money, so they have to sit in the cheap seats while beautiful people like us get to sit in these private boxes."No, I have no idea what he's saying. But a fascinating piece in the Wall Street Journal reveals that there's a major decline in the business of stadium skyboxes. The decline cuts across all sports and exists all over the country: The Milwaukee Brewers recently eliminated five suites. The Chicago White Sox gutted 10. The Seattle Mariners and Minnesota Timberwolves each got rid of eight. The Chicago Bears specifically decided not to add suites when renovating Soldier Field in 2003.
The reason? Big companies aren't as interested in having suites as they used to be. Some find that clients just don't want to go. Some find the tax implications of having suites are more trouble than the suites are worth. And in this post-Enron era, corporations increasingly bar their employees from accepting perks.
To me, it seems like a trend that makes stadiums more fan-friendly. The Brewers, for instance, have made room for a lower-priced, 9,000-square-foot party area. That still doesn't sound like the place for the hard-core fan who keeps score while he's at the game, but it's a step toward making it feel more like a ballpark and less like a board room.
Hat tip: Sports Filter.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
It is about time that major league stadiums for the fans to enjoy a sporting event and not the fat cats having all of the fun.
I went to a box once in Cleveland once. I loved it, and I would love to go again... With teams cutting down on them, who knows if I ever will... Oh well.
Isn't that brad pitt over there?.......this pic needs a caption