04/20/24
May 18, 2011
Don't Forget to Tip Your New York Yankees: If you bought something from the concessions at the priciest seats in Yankee Stadium, a 20 percent "service fee" was automatically tacked onto the price. Instead of paying that to the servers, Legends Hospitality has pocketed the money in violation of New York law, a new class-action suit alleges. The concessionaire -- which forbids the servers from revealing this to customers -- is owned by the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys and Goldman Sachs.
My daddy always wanted me to go to law school and I never did.
But if I had, I'd jump on the opportunity to help screw these bastards.
I'd chug a bottle of Viagra and do it on a pro bono basis.
posted by beaverboard at 12:36 PM on May 18, 2011
It's basically the American way of business: Grab all the money you can, any way you can, and don't worry for a second who you are screwing over or taking advantage of.
posted by dyams at 01:54 PM on May 18, 2011
beaverboard - I don't think that's the definition of pro bono
posted by kokaku at 01:56 PM on May 18, 2011
I don't understand how policies like this have become so endemic. You'd think that there'd be a cost to it from consumers who reach a point where enough is enough and they stop attending.
Seats at Cowboys and Yankees games are ridiculously expensive. Why do they think we'll pay those prices *and* pay jacked-up costs for anything else we buy while we're there? Even without this bogus service fee, a $10.50 draft beer is a giant fuck you to fans.
These days when I go to a sporting event, I buy almost nothing. At the Player's Championship I bought one $2.50 water and refilled the bottle several times at the first aid stands. I feel stupid for fattening their pockets by spending a lot of money at events, given how stupid we look for paying the prices they charge.
posted by rcade at 02:11 PM on May 18, 2011
Seats at Cowboys and Yankees games are ridiculously expensive. Why do they think we'll pay those prices *and* pay jacked-up costs for anything else we buy while we're there?
Because if you're the top 1% that owns 40% of the nation's wealth, what do you care about a $15.00 beer.
And if you're not the top 1%, chances are you are going on the corporate dime and/or will expense all money spent on the game as "meals and entertainment" expenses. Which really means that even if we, the U.S. taxpayer do not get the benefit of the tickets or the meals, we're still paying for it, be it through bailouts, corporate tax breaks or personal tax deductions of those wealthy enough to attend.
They have priced the middle class family out of attending these games.
These days when I go to a sporting event, I buy almost nothing.
I couldn't agree more. Except to say that I extend that rule to everywhere I go. Six dollar popcorn at the movie theater? Much cheaper to microwave a bag before I go. And I bring bottled water everywhere.
posted by cjets at 02:43 PM on May 18, 2011
Given who is involved (Cowboys, Yankees, and Goldman Sachs), I do not find this surprising at all.
posted by graymatters at 02:58 PM on May 18, 2011
That's so fucking low. At least give it to the working poor stiffs who shill the overpriced crap. The people that make these decisions (and at the end of the day, someone is making that call) are complete and utter assholes. It's a seasonal staff for god's sake. No benefit employment and then they take the tips. I wish nothing for them, but a long and painful public humiliation of some sort.
Also cjets is right. I expense everything. There ain't a seat worth paying for with my own money. Not at those prices!
With the exception of the Jays. You can still go to a ballgame for under $10 in this town. Then it is surprisingly easy to spend $40 in beer without really giving much of a shit.
Also TFC is quite cheap to go to. And the Argos of course. That ain't expensive.
OK MLSEL, upon closer inspection, it appears I'm just writing about you.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:44 PM on May 18, 2011
That's so fucking low. At least give it to the working poor stiffs who shill the overpriced crap.
No kidding. A "service fee" that doesn't even go to the servers...wow.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:19 PM on May 18, 2011
Nickel and Dime'd.
posted by owlhouse at 10:11 PM on May 18, 2011
Also TFC is quite cheap to go to. And the Argos of course. That ain't expensive. OK MLSEL, upon closer inspection, it appears I'm just writing about you.
TFC is owned by MLSE.
posted by tommybiden at 10:33 PM on May 18, 2011
While I know there are people out there with money to burn, and some on the corporate expense accounts, but it seems like there are still tons of regular folks willing to spend this kind of money at the ballpark. I personally don't get it. Too many cheaper alternatives for my money.
When I do go to games I tend to tailgate before hand, drink some beers out of my cooler and cut back on the $10 ones in the park. Eat before hand, and bring in a bag of peanuts.
posted by dviking at 10:54 PM on May 18, 2011
If you have the money to spend or you are on the corporate account, then why not? I did it on a corporate account, and loved it. The seats are fantastic - really close to the field. The people in the seats around us were real fans. And, you don't have to miss any action or wait in lines to get your hot dogs and beer. It's better than a lot of other ways to waste money. A nice restaurant in NYC could easily cost more than a trip to the game, and it would be less memorable.
posted by bperk at 12:52 AM on May 19, 2011
Goldman Sachs
Ahh. The more I see that name, the more I gain glimmerings of understanding into how The Terror happened.
posted by rodgerd at 06:41 AM on May 20, 2011
Pretty incredible that a company would even try a stunt like this. All it takes is just one worker to blow the whistle.
I hope the company gets nailed on this. Bad enough that ticket/food prices are what they are, but to cheat the workers out of their tips is just bad business.