A college football stadium is facing major backlash on social media for its exorbitant concession prices, particularly in the VIP suites.
On Saturday, UNLV hosted San Diego State at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. The Rebels came away with an impressive 41-20 victory over the Aztecs, improving to 8-2 on the season. While the team got the job done on the field, it seems fans in the VIP sections were less fortunatespecifically when it came to their wallets, as many were stunned by the shocking prices for food and beverages.
The outrage began when a UNLV fan revealed the shocking prices charged by the venue during Saturdays game. The details quickly went viral, with many calling the pricing absurd.
The most eye-catching item? A single slice of pizza that cost $50.
A friend of mine had a VIP box for yesterdays UNLV game. Ordered a pizza and wings. Never realized what it was going to cost for this slop. $653. They treat the luxury suite guests like they are in a club with bottle service, wrote sports betting personality Bill Krackomberger on social media.
Krackomberger shared a photo of the receipt, revealing that the Pizza Rock was listed at a staggering $300. The pizza, which was cut into six slices, meant each slice carried an eye-watering price tag of $50. It wasnt just the pizza that drew criticismthe crispy chicken tenders cost $190, and it appeared the order included around ten tenders, meaning each piece came in at nearly $20.
The outrageous prices sparked a firestorm of reactions from college football fans on social media, who were quick to voice their disbelief.
$50 per slice of that pepperoni Pizza Rock and thats before the 23 percent service charge, plus tax and tip? Wow, thats egregiously bad, one fan wrote, expressing the sentiment shared by many. Another fan quipped, Yup, telling the credit card company my card was stolen.
The high cost of the food left fans questioning the value, with one noting, Idk what is worse $300 for 6 slices of pizza or $190 for overcooked chicken tenders.
Others criticized the brand association. Were I Pizza Rock, I wouldnt want my business name on the ticket. Three hundred bucks. Thats brutal, said one user, suggesting that the vendor might not appreciate the negative publicity linked to such high prices.
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The comments continued, with fans offering creative alternatives to avoid the exorbitant costs. I would have refused delivery. Called Dominos, ordered 10 pizzas, bought the Dominos delivery guy a ticket to the game, and it would have been less than six-fifty, joked another fan, highlighting just how excessive the Allegiant Stadium prices seemed.
The backlash highlights growing frustration among fans over stadium pricing, especially in premium areas like VIP suites. Many believe that the venues pricing structure takes advantage of fans who are paying for a luxury experience, with some suggesting that the prices are closer to what you would expect at an upscale nightclub rather than a college football game.
As for UNLV, the team will shift its focus back to the field, with a road game against San Jose State next on their schedule, followed by their season finale against Nevada.
While the team hopes to keep their winning streak alive, its clear that the focus for many fans this week has been on the steep prices at Allegiant Stadiuma situation that has left a sour taste in the mouths of many who were just looking to enjoy some football and a snack.
Whether the backlash will prompt any changes in pricing remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the exorbitant cost of a simple slice of pizza has left an impression, and not the kind that stadium operators or the university would have hoped for.