Given some of the recent "press" the Verizon Center has received (ESPN, PHT, also mentioned in a Fanshot and Monday's Caps Clips), I felt this would be as good a time as any to comment on an issue that has bothered and annoyed me as a sports fan for quite some time...concessions.  I'll focus on the Verizon Center, mainly because this is a Capitals blog and because as a Caps season ticket holder I've easily seen more live sporting events in that location than I have any other, but many of my grievances are not limited to DC's hockey home but rather my general experiences at sporting arenas all over the place (and I have built quite a resume as a traveling sports fan over the years*).

First and foremost, the recently noted health violations barely scratch the surface of my displeasure towards the concessions business at sporting arenas.  For me, the entire experience is just awful, and it doesn't matter where you go -- long lines, high prices, unfriendly service and poor food quality just seem to be standard across the board.  What motivation do team/stadium owners have to fix these issues?  Pretty much none as far as I see it, since money is currently being made hand over fist with the system as is.  I personally feel, however, that improving the service and customer experience at these concession stands could easily generate even more revenue, if done correctly...and based on some of Ted Leonsis' recent comments about wanting to listen to fans and improve the fan experience, I also believe that he may be a lot more receptive to hearing some ideas for improvement than some of other franchises' owners might be.

It would probably be impossible for me to compile a complete list of every issue I've ever had at Verizon Center regarding concessions, but here are a few my top general pet-peeves:

1.  Long Lines/Slow Service

There is nothing you can do about lines forming at the concession stands, especially during critical times like the pre-game rush and intermissions.  When you have 18,000+ people in one building and only limited number of vendors to sell food, lines are inevitable.  What can be drastically improved, however, is the speed at which the people in the line are served.  At the stands near my section (and probably everywhere throughout the arena), the current system just flat out reeks of inefficiency.  Typically, what happens when a customer's turn in line comes up is the following:  give order to cashier, cashier stares at register for 20-30 seconds, cashier punches order into register, cashier gives order total to customer and asks for payment, payment is collected and change/receipt is given, cashier proceeds to collect ordered items to give to customer 1 at a time, beer tap goes dry, customer is informed they will have to wait a few minutes or order a different beer, customer is not given a tray for the 2 beverages, 3 hotdogs and tub of popcorn ordered and must request one, cashier walks around looking for cardboard tray, upon receiving tray, customer realizes it is too flimsy to carry all the items ordered nor do the beer cups actually fit into the cup holders, customer spends 20-30 seconds trying to collect all items safely and proceed to condiment station.

Fast food companies spend tons of money trying to find ways to knock every precious second off the time it takes to fill a customer's order.  Why?  Because the more people you can serve in a given amount of time = money that can be made in the same given amount of time.  When demand is virtually endless, increasing the volume of customers that can be accommodated in the time allowed translates in to more money being made by the vendor.  With only a few simple changes, the average Verizon Center concession stand could easily process customer orders faster -- simple things like having people dedicated to pouring and monitoring beer, and having one person fill an order while another handles the money are just 2 things that would drastically improve the service and get the line moving faster (and trust me, there are are already enough people working at the stands to operate in this manner).  In addition, roving vendors in the seating areas may not work very well at hockey games, but having a few extra beer carts or vendors selling bottled beer/soda/water in the concourse could help reduce the number of people having to wait in the lines as well.  I know I'm not the only person to ever say to myself, "ah, to hell with it -- I don't want a beer enough to wait in that line, I'll just go back to my seat".

2.  Prices
Everyone expects to gouged at sporting event concession stands, it's a fact of life.  Maybe the prices could be lower...maybe they can't be -- I really don't know enough about the business to determine where prices need to be set in order to make a profit on top of the costs of operation.  What I do know is that if it feels like a slap in face to pay $25 for 2 beers and 2 hotdogs, then it's a straight punch to the gonads to pay $25 for 2 warm beers and 2 cold hotdogs on stale buns...which is what you usually end up getting.  If you have to charge premium prices, at least try to offer a quality product more representative of that price.  This, of course, brings us straight to:

3.  Food Quality
I can't say how many times I've found myself rushing to get out of work in time to make a weeknight game, getting to the metro only to realize that I haven't had time to get anything to eat since lunch, and am pretty much left with no alternative but to buy my dinner at the Verizon Center if I don't want to miss any of the game.  Shouldn't be that big of a deal, should it?  Yeah, I usually try to grab something to eat before the game mainly because eating at the arena can become quite costly, especially if you go to 30-35 games a year (+ playoffs), but what I really hate is getting there, paying my hard-earned money, and then getting to my seat only to realize I'm about to "enjoy" an already cold hotdog on a roll that couldn't be described as anything but harder than the puck that's about to be dropped on the ice.  It's depressing.  To Ted and every other owner out there:  If I actually enjoyed the food and looked forward to eating it, I'd be A LOT more likely to justify spending my money on it a bit more often, rather than just out of sheer necessity.  It's not just hot dogs either, as I have found a lot of the food I've encountered to be unappetizing to say the least.

Bonus:  Volunteers
I was actually glad the ESPN article touched on this, as it is definitely a practice that causes me quite a bit of frustration, even if not necessarily for the reasons given in the article.

Food service companies at several stadiums also allow nonprofit groups to run some stands using volunteers, which have been the subject of complaints and violations. In 2005, health department inspectors in Cincinnati got fed up with repeat violations at Paul Brown Stadium due in large part to non-profit volunteers, said Karen Draper, a health department supervisor who used to be in charge of stadium inspections.

"Not wearing gloves, not knowing where the thermometer is, not knowing what temperature it's supposed to be … leaving the ice scoop lie in the ice bin so they had to stick their hands in there to get it," she said. "Stuff that if you worked in a restaurant you would know not to do."

I've seen this happen at the concession stands near my section on a few occasions, and the simple fact is that these people lack the experience to run a concession stand.  It may be a great way to earn money, but it is extremely frustrating when all you want is to get to your order, and it takes twice as long because the people running the concession stand don't know what their doing.  There are plenty of other ways to raise money, and this practice really shouldn't be allowed.

Bottom line:  On any given night, there are 18,000+ hungry and thirsty fans at the Verizon Center who are there primarily to watch a hockey game...not wait in line.  It only adds insult to injury to learn the the food we've been getting may not have been up to health code standards this entire time as well.  These are just my opinions, but I feel like I'm not alone here, at least not based on some of the comments I've heard from my fellow section mates on the matter during Caps games.

* Just to name a few stadiums/arenas I've visited, off the top of my head...
Verizon Center, Nationals Stadium, RFK Stadium, FedEx Field, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, M&T bank Stadium, Giant Center, Three RIver's Stadium, Mountaineer Field, Beaver Stadium, Byrd Stadium, Folsum Field, Alltel Stadium, Georgia Dome, The Igloo, Veteran's Stadium, University of Phoenix Stadium

I saw on twitter tonight numerous references to Habs fans "booing" the US anthem, as well as LA Kings fans booing the Canadian anthem.  I'm not that surprised, as I've heard of this behavior behavior before, specifically at NHL hockey games (which has the most International play of any US major sport).

I, for one, cannot stand for this.  I WILL NOT stand for this.  I am here to plead with Caps fans to NOT stoop to this level.

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A few months ago, I was watching a SJ Sharks game with a good friend of mine who lives in the SF Bay area.  He pulled up this site, suggesting we play along.  I did play along, but I also noticed that it would be very easy to modify these rules a bit to make a great Caps drinking game.

Here are a few of my initial rules, but I hope to make this a collaborative effort, so please suggest more in the comments if you like this idea.  I changed it up a bit from the original Sharks' game I linked to, and made 4 basic categories:  "Joe B. and Locker", "Players" (for rules that apply to specific players), "Fans", and "Team".  I'm sure there are lot more to add to this, especially in the "Players" section, I think we could get a pretty good list going here...

I decided to do this after searching for a list like this, but came up empty -- I even searched as best I could for similar fan shots on this site.  I found it hard to believe no one had put one of these together already, so if anyone knows of one, please feel free to link to that too.

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Well, the Center Ice free preview is over, and I won't lie--I'm a bit bummed out by that. 

If there are any folks out there thinking about renewing, or just considering their options in general for getting more hockey than they can (should) handle, let me offer my opinion of the NHL's official online offering, Gamecenter Live.  This is my second year as a subscriber to this service, and so far I've been pretty happy with it.

You can access the service via NHL.com.  This link should work to get information.

CONS:

It's not TV.  For many, online viewing just isn't feasable.  If it is, chances are your computer screen isn't as big as your TV screen, so there's also that to consider.  I get to watch caps games locally on CSN, but if you're unable to do that, you may prefer to get a TV package.

It's not free.  The prices changes as the season goes on, so I'm not going to quote prices, you can go to the website to check it out...but it's not "cheap".  It appears they are offering a deal though the 31st.  They do offer installment payments though, which helps.  Plus, if you're considering the Center Ice package on cable, then chances are you've already considered having to spend some money anyway.

Blackouts.  Of course, local market teams are blacked out, as well as any nationally televised games on Vs or NHL Network.  If you're relying solely on your computer for hockey viewing, these games won't be available.

PROS:

Quality.  I've been really happy with the overall improvements to the quality of the feeds this year.  My cable company only offers Center Ice in low-def feeds, and I can honestly say that the quality of the online feeds I get are much better than what I can get through my cable company.  If you have decent bandwidth and can get the 1600kbps feed, it's really crystal clear (and 16:9).  I've actually hooked my PC up to my TV and watched it that way, with great results.

It's not taking over my TV.  As I mentioned, I live in the DC area, and get Caps games broadcast locally, so I mainly use this service for non-Caps viewing, but I like being able to throw a game on my computer to watch in the background and still being able to watch other programming on my TV.

Reliability (& peace of mind).  The main reason I decided to post this was due to the amount of times I see folks struggling to find pirated online feeds of Caps and other hockey games.  Yeah, they're out there if you know where to look, but the availability and quality are always a question mark, and I've also heard several folks complain about getting viruses or malware on their computer after having visited one the pirate sites.  Plus, many consider it a "gray area" legally, so you kinda take a risk there as well--most likely nothing will ever come of it if you stream a game from one of "those sites", but you're not getting help if you screw up your PC either.  Not worth it in my opinion.

Portability.  You can take it with you!  Many times when I have had to go out of town to visit friends and/or family members or even travel on business I've watched games from my computer, whereas I couldn't have done that with a CI package from my cable provider.

Features.  There are a lot of other features available as well, like in-game stats and replays, plus you can watch multiple games.  I've never been able to actually use the multi-game feature myself, but if your ADD doesn't get the best of you maybe you'll enjoy this.

VERDICT:

No, it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for a non-market viewing option, it's definitely something to consider.  As I've already mentioned, I've been quite pleased with the service so far.  I just wish they'd make it free!

Anyone else kind of disappointed at the new pre-game introduction video being played at the Verizon Center for the first 2 games?

I have to admit that I was pretty sick of the "rock band" video from last year by the time the season ended (OK, I was sick of it by November), but I also think most of us were pretty fond of the Foo Fighter's "Pretender" opening video from the previous season, so many of us were kinda curious what they were going to for this season.

The heartbeat EKG and flames don't bother me at all, I can dig that I suppose, but I thought the lack of any kind of soundtrack was a bit of a let down.  I really like some upbeat, "let's get fired up!" tunes to start the hockey game and get everyone on their feet as Wes announces the lineups, and I didn't get that at all -- this years fanfare just isn't as hyped as we've come to expect the past couple of seasons.

Also, "Unleash the Red"?!?  Seems kinda lazy to me, it's just a combination of 2 previously popular battle cries this team has used.

I don't know, it appears quite a bit of production went into the video, and I'm not saying it should be scrapped, but it could definitely be improved upon...in my opinion.  What do you think?

H/T to "Your Nation's Capital" for providing a video link.

Update:  And here's the video on the Caps' website.

1.     My dad – so many people have listed the reason the reason they got into hockey is their dad’s love of the game, and while that might be true for me regarding baseball and football, but when it comes hockey, I've always loved it because it’s “my game”.  My dad, who actually grew up in a hockey hot zone on the great lakes never really got into the sport…so for me it’s “my thing”.

2.    It’s a “niche sport”…at least in the US – being a hockey fan in a place like a Baltimore suburb is rare thing…most of my friends don’t even “get it”…and that’s what makes it cool.  Everyone loves talking football and baseball…and basketball, but few around here can really talk hockey.  When you meet someone who follows the NHL and lives and dies hockey like I do, it’s like presenting a secret handshake--it’s easy to make an instant friend…even if they root for the for an enemy team, like the Pens.

3.    It’s non-stop.  If there’s one reason I really like watching international soccer games, it’s that it just keeps on going, like the energizer bunny.  No commercials, no stoppage in play, just a constant 45 of play per half….but then of course, it’s soccer.  Hockey isn’t quite as “non-stop”, but the action is constant.  I remember last year a certain date when my favorite hockey team and my favorite (American) football team were playing at the same time—I had both games on using 2 TVs, but I found myself constantly watching the hockey TV because frankly, when you have the two stacked up against each other, hockey is just harder to pull away from because football has about 10 seconds of play followed by minutes of downtime, whereas hockey just keeps on going….

4.    The new kid.  When I was in second grade, a new kid came to our school, and this wasn’t exactly a normal thing in the small suburban town from which I was from; and this kid also happened to be Canadian, which could have made him really different and awkward; but fortunately for him, he was a really “cool kid”.  A cool kid who couldn’t stop talking about how awesome the Edmonton Oilers were and how awesome one Wayne Gretzky was.  Of course, I wanted to be cool too, and so I decided that I also thought that the Edmonton Oilers were cool…and they just happened to win the Stanley Cup that year.  This was my introduction to NHL hockey, and I still own a classic, Gretzky-era Oilers jersey to this day.  This year was 1985.

5.    The International game – I was only 3 when the “Miracle on Ice” occurred, but for some reason I remember it happening.  Not so much that I remember watching the games, but I have a memory of my parents and their friends talking about it.  I also remember rooting for US hockey in the Olympics even before I really got into watching NHL hockey…in 84, 88, 92, etc…  Frankly, I think the Olympics were better when play was restricted to amateur players, but I also know that the NHL can’t stop NHL players from participating from Sochi in 2014 if they don’t want total chaos in their hands.

6.    Alex Ovechkin. 
As a Caps fan, do I even need to elaborate?

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I found this very random blog post while searching for something unrelated the other day.  Remarkable when you notice that date that this was posted (and what has occured since).

It can be easy to find shortcommings with this Captials team, but seeing something like this can help put things into perspective.  If my math and memory are correct, the Caps were 13-19-4 at this point last season (Christmas) and just starting to show signs of life, but things still looked pretty bleak.

Thanks to all the Caps, coaches and everyone else involved for making 2008 the best hockey year this fan has seen in quite a long time--keep up the good work!