Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
A number of MLB teams have trotted out their official take on the “9-9-9 Challenge” after that culinary marathon became all the rage with baseball fans. However, they tend to leave a bit to be desired, and that’s especially true with the ones the Giants are offering this season.
As far as I’m concerned, attending a sporting event in person is basically a miniature vacation where you earn the right to pretend calories and money aren’t an issue before you deal with those potential repercussions once you head back into reality.
It’s hard to beat the combination of a hot dog and a beer when you make the trek to a baseball game, and last season, MLB stadiums experienced a spike in the number of people who really leaned into that pairing with the “9-9-9 Challenge.”
The challenge in question is simple: you have nine innings to eat nine hot dogs and drink nine beers. If you succeed, you’re rewarded with both a feeling of accomplishment and the regret fueled by the amount of money you spent on a virtually inevitable case of indigestion.
This season, some MLB teams have decided to get in on the action by offering a prepackaged 9-9-9 Challenge at games, and the one that’s being peddled by the San Francisco Giants highlights the accusations of stolen valor they’ve managed to spawn.
The 9-9-9 Challenge being served at Giants games comes with a single can of beer
I put the 9-9-9 Challenge the Mets are offering at Citi Field at the bottom of the list of the most intriguing items being offered at MLB games this season based on the minuscule size of the hot dogs and the equally tiny glasses of beer served alongside them.
I know there are legal ramifications that prevent MLB teams from actively encouraging fans to consume nine full beers in less than three hours, and I guess there’s a chance liability issues are also the reason for the circumsized frankfurters.
However, it’s hard not to view the offering as a bit of a cash grab, and I’d argue that bragging about finishing one is like boasting about having a hole-in-one on a miniature golf course.
It turns out the Mets are one of six teams that are offering a downsized take on the 9-9-9 Challenge, and SFGate was responsible for a bombshell investigation concerning the underwhelming nature of the one the Giants are selling at Oracle Park.
The outlet ordered one of the combos, which are priced at $54.99 apiece, and discovered it came with a single 24 oz. can of beer that was not even capable of filling up all nine glasses.
Purchasing the San Francisco Giants’ 9-9-9 challenge box gets you nine mini dogs, nine glasses (an estimated 3-4 ounces) and a tall can of Coors Light. But the beer is not enough to fill every glass up to the level that anyone would consider a regular pour. pic.twitter.com/x8IJ3FMKZs
— SFGATE (@SFGate) March 25, 2026
It seems like fans will encounter the same issue at the other ballparks that are selling the 9-9-9 Challenge, as concession giant Aramark is responsible for overseeing the program.
You’ve been warned.