If you've been to any ballgame lately in one of America's professional sports arenas, you probably saw just how expensive the beers were. Yes, to say beer is big business is an understatement, especially when it's at the center of profitability for concessionaires in our baseball, football, basketball, and hockey stadiums.
With so much beer flowing to so many fans, the goal for operators is to be as efficient and profitable as possible. If beer is one of the biggest parts of the business, then the business of beer should be carefully considered.
Let's take a closer look at stadium beer sales and how concessionaires and operators can make it easier, safer, and less time-consuming for staff.
Draft Beer: The MVP of Stadium Concessions
Concession sales for stadiums are a huge money-making opportunity. On average, a single stadium can make around $2 million from food and beverage sales from a single game.
While stadiums offer diverse products, draft beer is often the most popular beverage choice for fans. Even as prices continue to rise (around $10 per pint), fans are still willing to activate their purchasing power for beer.
Another reason beer sales are so prevalent is that stadiums are starting to offer a wider selection. Instead of just selling the top brands, many arenas are turning to craft breweries and local providers to give fans a better beer-drinking experience.
Just how many beers can a stadium sell? While data is scant, the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta sold over 117,000 beers during Superbowl LIII. While that's certainly a unique opportunity, the average arena can sell between 6,000 and 16,000 beers during a regular season game.
With so much demand, stadium F&B staff need to move a lot of product in quick fashion. That means selling it, as well as literally moving kegs from point A to point B. Any time lost or kicked kegs during the course of the game can lead to thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
There's a Better Way to Conduct Keg Management in Stadium Concessions
Proper keg management is crucial to high-volume beer sales. Thanks to Cooler Concepts there are products like THE KEG LIFTER that make it easier for stadium and arena food and beverage operators to move heavy kegs to replace used kegs thus maintaining pourability of all draft products for their beer sales.
A typical full-size keg only holds about 124 pints, so an arena would need roughly 50 kegs to sell around 6,000 beers during the course of a game. Speed and efficiency are critical throughout all aspects of the beer system -- from changing kegs to serving cups to replacing empty kegs with full ones. And those kegs are very heavy, with a full keg weighing around 165 pounds, a weight generally unsuitable for a single person to lift.
Rather than having to take two people away from other duties, The KEG Lifter makes this process easier. With this innovative unit, it only requires one person to replace that can lift the full keg and easily move it into position. All in less than one minute.
But why is The Keg Lifter such a game-changer for stadiums? What makes it so special? There are a few features to pay attention to, including:
Tight Turning Radius
Navigating through the bowels of a stadium can be challenging, especially when people are moving back and forth during a game. The KEG Lifter has a tight profile and turning radius, so workers can maneuver more easily.
High Lifting Capacity
Whether storing a keg or moving it into place for tapping, The KEG Lifter can raise a full-weight keg about 45 inches off the ground, which is more than enough clearance for most applications.
Fast Movement
Although kegs are remarkably heavy by themselves, this device allows a single worker to quickly move full kegs from one place to the next, all without hurting their back or knees.
Cooler Concepts in Modern Arenas
The benefits of The Keg Lifter are not just theoretical. It's already being used successfully to help serve draft beer at stadiums across the country, including in Chicago at both Soldier Field and US Cellular Field. As beer demand continues to drive profits for stadiums and arenas, equipment like The Keg Lifter will only become more valuable.
Discover how The Keg Lifter can help your beverage business grow:
