Aramark Killing Baseball in Houston

Craig Calcaterra of Shysterball wrote on NBC Sports about the Houston Astros gouging their fans:

As Major League Baseball does all it can to get recession-strapped fans through the turnstiles, a day at 29 of 30 MLB ballparks includes the option of bringing your own sandwiches, snacks, bottled water, soft drinks or, in some cases, all of the above. That leaves the Astros, and their stance on the matter is stated in their A-to-Z fan guide for Minute Maid Park.

"Visitors may not bring food or beverage items into the ballpark," it says.

I was shocked to read that the Astros are the only club that does not allow outside food. I was even more shocked at how pathetic the Astros' justifications for this policy truly are. Owner Drayton McClane says that banning outside food at Astros games "has been kind of a tradition in Houston."

Well that's some fucking tradition. The Yankees don't put the names on the back of their jerseys, the Red Sox play a morning game on Patriots Day, the Cubs used to have Harry Caray sing "Take Me Out To the Ballgame"...and the Houston Astros make you throw out your sandwich before you come in.

I'll stop complaining about the Yankees incredibly dumb, impractical, and discriminatory bag policy and how they sometimes mistreat their fans. The article puts blame on McClane since, well, he is the owner. But there must be someplace else to place blame...

[Pam] Gardner the Astros' president for business operations] also noted that the Astros' relationship with Aramark, which operates concessions and/or premium food services at 13 [it's actually 15] MLB parks, including Minute Maid, "is predicated on their exclusivity on food and beverage."

Say no more! It's ARAMARK! And as a former Brandeis student who had Aramark as our dining services provider, I know how much Aramark sucked. Innermost Parts has some details here including one detail as what can only be described as a totally unethical relationship (as a compliance officer, I'm a bit horrified). So I'm not surprised that Aramark is behind supressing baseball fans in Houston because they did it so many times while I was a student at Brandeis.