Deluzio to investigate concession prices at sporting events

The Congressman introduced a bill to look into pricing practices.

By TAWNYA PANIZZI
TribLive

U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio can’t stomach the prices fans are paying for hot dogs and other concessions at professional sporting events.

Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel, introduced a bill directing the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a nationwide study of concession pricing practices.

U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York, is the bill’s co-author.

“One of life’s great joys is a hot dog and a cold beer or pop watching the Black and Gold,” Deluzio said in a press release. “But concessions at pro stadiums across the country have become a ripoff, with so many teams pricing out fans and families.”

The bill, dubbed the Honest Oversight of Ticketed Dining and Onsite Grub (HOTDOG) Act, would require the FTC to find ways to stop what Deluzio called price gouging.

It calls for an evaluation of pricing practices at professional sports stadiums that were constructed or are operated with public subsidy funds.

The FTC is being asked to examine the prices of comparable food and drinks inside and outside stadiums; practices such as dynamic pricing, service fees and promotions; and transparency of concession prices to consumers.

The average lowest price for a hot dog across Major League Baseball’s 30 ballparks in 2024 was about $6, according to a release from Deluzio’s office. The price for a hot dog at PNC Park was about $5 in 2024, according to statista.com.

It’s too expensive for the typical family, say the bill’s authors.

Especially when fans’ tax dollars are supporting sporting projects across the state and country, according to Goldman.

People should be able to enjoy a game and grab a bite or a drink without breaking the bank, Deluzio contends.

“The HOTDOG Act would shine a much-needed light on exploitative pricing practices and allow the FTC, lawmakers, and most importantly, hardworking families to gain more transparency into potential price-gouging by venues and determine best practices for affordable pricing,” Deluzio’s release said. The FTC would be required to issue a report to Congress detailing the results of the study and any recommendations for legislative, regulatory or industry action to lower costs and transparency.

The HOTDOG Act is endorsed by Groundwork Collaborative, Sports Fan Coalition and Public Citizen, leaders of which weighed in on the proposal.

“Any American who’s been to the ballpark or a concert recently knows that, too often, a stop by the snack counter can feel like a shakedown,” said Alex Jacquez, chief of policy and advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive think tank.

“The legislation would bring much-needed transparency to pricing practices at stadiums and other venues so Americans can enjoy their favorite pastimes without feeling ripped off.”

Brian Hess, executive director of Sports Fans Coalition, said: “Fans have been gouged at the concession stand in the same venues built with their own tax dollars. The HOTDOG Act will shine a much-needed light on exploitative pricing practices and help identify solutions that make attending games affordable for working families again.

“When taxpayers invest hundreds of millions into stadiums, they deserve transparency about why a hot dog costs three times what it does on the street outside.”

A Steelers spokesperson said the organization is aware of the legislation but declined a TribLive request for comment.