Unruly Fan Behavior Prompts Phillies to End Their $1 Hot Dog Nights

The Philadelphia Phillies have attracted fans to their games for over 25 years with its popular $1 hot dog nights. In today’s economy especially, a $1 hot dog is a steal. But after fans got into a frankfurter food fight at a game last year, the team is eliminating its beloved promotion. 

It was once a fixture at Phillies games, as a car drove on to the field and fired wieners into the crowd and on the grass. At an April 2023 game against the Miami Marlins, a number of fans threw the dogs around the crowd, leading them to be kicked out. Another game last April suffered a delay after fans threw hot dogs onto the field. 

Instead of $1 hot dogs, visitors will instead have the option of a buy-one-get-one-free deal; rather than getting a $1 dog, you can pay the regular price for one dog and get a second included. The decision, the team said, was made “based on the organization’s ongoing commitment to provide a positive experience for all fans in attendance.”

John Weber, the senior vice president of Phillies ticket operations and projects, explained that the decision was as much a logistical one as it was based on last year’s events. 

“It wasn’t just the throwing,” he told The Associated Press. “It’s the concourse, the crowds of everybody being at the same ‘X’ amount of stands. But obviously, you know, the throwing was a little bit of a tipping point.”

“The idea originally was much more family-orientated, four, five, six people and having a discounted concession item,” he added. “As it’s morphed over time, it’s gone more to a younger demographic, which is great as well, especially in the April, May timeframe.”

The Phillies will be hosting its new BOGO nights this season on April 2 against the Cincinnati Reds and April 16 against the Colorado Rockies.