Philadelphia Phillies Signify Collapse Of American Society With Change To Promotion

There is perhaps nothing more American than sitting at a baseball game in the middle of summer with a cold beer and a hot dog in hand.

The only thing that could possibly top it is if that hot dog cost, say, one dollar.

But that’s no longer possible for Philadelphia Phillies fans, as the organization announced the end of its Hatfield Dollar Dog Night promotion on Thursday after 27 years.

Instead, they’ve replaced the promotion with a new “BOGO” deal where fans can get two hot dogs for the price of one, which is $5.

But even that is a change from a year ago when hot dogs at Citizens Bank Park cost just $4.63. So not only are fans not able to get a dollar dog, but they’ll also pay more for a hot dog than they did a year ago.

Brutal.

Philadelphia Phillies Have Checkered Past With Dollar Dog Night Promotion

The Phillies say the change is the result of a fan survey conducted in the offseasson.

“Look, we’re very proud of this promotion,” John Weber, the Phillies senior vice president of ticket operations and projects told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s been talked about. It’s been great for 27 years. But it was just time for a change. We’ve been discussing a change for the last couple years. The unfortunate incidents last year of the throwing of the hot dogs plus the feedback from our fans postgame survey, the fans told us that it was time for a change.”

The “unfortunate incidents” Weber refers to involved unruly (read: idiot) fans throwing hot dogs on the field a year ago. Note that the Phillies also scheduled that Dollar Dog Night on the same night as college Greek Night.

Who could’ve imagined that would go wrong?

The Phillies will tell you change is about fans.

But let’s be honest here, this is about saving money. Even if it’s just a rounding error when it comes to the team’s larger finances.

Dollar Dog Nights were hectic. The lines were awful and there were limits on the amount of dogs one could purchase at a time.

But it’s a matter of principle. And this just feels wrong.