14 April 2023 , 11:18
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Many MLB stadiums have extended their beer sales deadline this season, and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm has called on the league to use their "common sense" in a savage rant.
Due to the introduction of the pitch clock this season, games are going by a lot faster and it's a change that seems to be welcomed by the fans. On average, matches are finishing 30 minutes earlier than last season, but quicker games naturally equate to a drop in refreshment sales.
According to sport business insider Joe Pompliano, $280,000 (£223,700) to $1.1million (£878,880) could be lost in lost beer sales throughout the season depending on the stadium, and some teams have already pushed back their seventh-inning cut-off. But Strahm is horrified by the changes, claiming that safety of fans has gone out of the window.
With considerable revenue set to be lost unless changes are made, from a financial point of view it makes total sense for teams and stadiums to relax their previous cut-off rules for serving alcohol. But Strahm is concerned that it could be a major health hazard, as it's more likely that fans will drive home from games without being given a chance to "sober up".
"The reason we stopped in the seventh before was to give our fans time to sober up and drive home safe, correct?" the pitcher asked on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast. "So now, with a faster-pace game - and me just being a man of common sense - if the game is going to finish quicker, would we not move the beer sales back to the sixth inning to give our fans time to sober up and drive home?
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"Instead, we're going to the eighth, and now you're putting our fans and our family at risk driving home with people who have just drank beers 22 minutes ago." Despite Strahm's concerns he's aware that the decision is made for financial reasons, but thinks fan safety is at major risk.
Strahm is concerned about fan safety with beer sales (Matt Rourke/AP/REX/Shutterstock)"My thing is, when you're looking at the safety of your fans, that's probably not the smartest decision to extend it into the eighth," Strahm added. "But, just using common sense - we stopped it in the seventh for the safety of fans and people getting home.
"Like, it just, it makes no sense to me that you're going to allow it to the eighth inning." Of course, all fans are in control of their own intake, and sensible designated drivers should know when it a good time to stop drinking anyway.
But the changes will leave that responsibility with the fans rather than a strict ruling put in place to restrict incidents. Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Texas Rangers are some of the teams to have already made sales changes, with many expected to follow.