Dodgers considering changes in beer sales, serving sizes as part of security review

Dodger officials have told the Los Angeles Police Department that they are reconsidering their plan to sell half-price alcohol at six games this season.

They also promised to look at prices and serving sizes for alcohol, as well as when to stop serving alcohol, according to Dodger spokesman Josh Rawitch.

The news comes as the Los Angeles Police Department announced plans Friday to bring aggressive crime-fighting tactics that it employs on city streets into Dodger Stadium as part of a security crackdown a week after a visiting fan was attacked in the ballpark's parking lot.

Overriding a Dodger policy against armed police inside the stadium, Police Chief Charlie Beck said Friday that uniformed officers will be posted throughout the ballpark and will be more aggressive about arresting or expelling people who cause trouble. Beck also said Dodgers owner Frank McCourt had agreed to pay for an increase in the number of LAPD officers patrolling in the stadium and the parking lots during and after games.

While the new crackdown does not address the issue of alcohol sales, the LAPD and the Dodgers said they are looking at the issue.

In an interview with The Times, Beck said he believed beer and alcohol consumption did, in fact, contribute to the problems at the stadium and said police officials were pushing the Dodgers to raise prices and stop sales at an earlier point in the games.

McCourt, however, said at a press conference Friday he was skeptical about how great a role beer sales played in the problems. "I don't think it's the sale of beer that's a problem, per se. I think it's the abuse of that privilege," he said.

-- Joel Rubin and Bill Shaikin

Photo: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, center left, with Police Chief Charlie Beck, far right, Dodger owner Frank McCourt, center and Councilman Ed Reyes, called on the two perpetrators of last week's beating at Dodger Stadium to turn themselves in. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[oldusedcop]

"I don't think it's the sale of beer that's a problem, per se. I think it's the abuse of that privilege." The weasel-wording begins.

[K. Cantu]

Look. I applaud what they are trying to do at Dodger Stadium and all but it seems to me that to many gangbangers are mixing in with the regular crowds at these games. Simply changing the drinking policy is only a band aid to the larger problem of gang activity yet again ruining it for everyone else. Something more needs to be done and may I suggest that the owners of the L.A. Dodgers start to implement some sort of profiling that can single out individuals who fit the description of what a gangbanger looks like. I know that seems far fetched but how many more time is the city going to be held hostage by these domestic terrorists because that is exactly who they are. Hell I remember how bad it was when the Raiders were in town and the fights that broke our at those venues. The L.A. Dodgers organization is privately owned so I think the owners can get away with the profiling. Just saying.

[Eric of Reseda]

""I don't think it's the sale of beer that's a problem, per se. I think it's the abuse of that privilege,""

So, uh, really, what's the diff? Mr. McCourt, mankind knows NOTHING if not that people will abuse alcohol and legal drugs, both of which Big Alcohol, Big Pharma, and our government make DARN sure are available to anyone who want's em. You have pre-teens taking Xanax, for Chissakes.

And what hole are you living in?!? NEWSFLASH! Alcohol + sporting events OFTEN = TROUBLE, and there's not an intelligent adult who'll tell you different.

So, sorry if we want to cut into your and your wife's profits-for-obscene-consumption in order to save a life or keep good people from getting beaten up at your place of business, but TOUGH!

McCourt...get out.

[Guy]

The result of this will be the dodgers further manipulating the cost and availability of alcohol for their own financial gain. Doing this under the guise of safety concerns, as they have done in the past, is disgusting.

[Bebe]

How much revenue do the Dodgers make off beer?

[D.F.]

I am a dodger fan who is currently living in Milwaukee and have had the privilege of attending quite a few games at Miller Park. I have never experienced any of the same problems that I have seen at Dodger Stadium over the past few years. Not only does Miller Park allow tailgating where people bring kegs into the parking lot of the stadium, but they also sell beer in the stadium for only $6 compared to the $12 rip off at Dodger Stadium. It is not the sale or price of liquor, it is the people and culture of Dodger Stadium that cause issues.

[Rocco]

It's unfortunate John, that a few idiots always ruin it for those of us who just want to go and enjoy a game.

A gang unit that actually takes out gangs would help. I can't believe they haven't found the animals responsible for that vicious attack yet.

Come on PD, get those guys off the street. Pronto.

[jmc]

How about The Dodgers just limit what each individual can buy based on their sobriety like bars are required to do? To punish all fans with higher prices & while providing less is absurd given how expensive everything already is there...The fundamental issue is that lack of policing at the park. There has always been an element that is trouble at the games and you can spot them a mile away a few innings in.

[S. Herbert]

Frank McCourt spent tens of thousands on a Russian psychic, and fired the stadium security director to save money.

He tripled parking prices, and security deteriorated.

The Angels are 40 miles further away, and get my Dodger dollars.

Take away the money Fox paid this imbecile and his questionable-morals wife, and he would still be trying to rezone parking lots next to Interstate 93.

Dump McCourt Now.

[Ron Heitzman]

The should use the proceeds from the alcohol sales for security personnel

[Ray]

Opening day game time at 5 pm - drinking in the park since 11, didn't help the situation. Nobody has mentioned the fact that MLB started the game late for TV but people take the day off and start partying early. Beer sales inside the stadium are likely irrelevant.

[schlock]

"I don't think it's the beer sales that's the problem, its the 60-40 cholo demographic that's the problem... Dodger Stadium and elsewhere in the city."

[Chi Guy]

The guys who are causing all the trouble, and it's becoming a larger % of the crowd, don't have the financial means to pay $10 and up for beer at the concession stands. For the same price or less they can go to 7-11, pick up a case and drink it in the parking lot. Ever notice these guys seem to show up around the 3rd inning? The parking lot is totally unsupervised both before and after games.

[Boz]

The people who fight and commit crimes at baseball games will do it regardless if they sell less beer or more expensive beer. How about having more LAPD officers, instead of security guards, protect the fans? Security guards are afraid of gang members and have little protection value at games.

[California Rush]

This is so stupid it almost defies description, and makes you kind of wonder what stupid really is! First of all what do you call somebody who pays eight bucks for 15 cents worth of beer? Why is it that Anaheim stadium has waitresses delivering cocktails to your seats, and at Dodger stadium you have to stand in line and miss innings to get a beer or dog? How brainless is it to think that a couple beers can turn a law abiding citizen into a heinous crimminal? and that by cutting beer off in the seventh inning this will transform that same crimminal back into a law abiding citizen. We now know the secret of Dr Jeckel and Mr. Hyde! it had to be Dodger beer, and the main ingredient is its price!

You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. Frank Zappa

Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me. Winston Churchill

Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. benjamin Franklin

[SG]

Boycott the Dodgers . . . Until McCourt is gone.

[Steve]

Pretty pathetic that even though the perpetrators haven't been positively identified, someone uses the incident to vent their own prejudices. I would, in fact, limit beer sales to such people.

I didn't see any note that the cost of beer would rise, even for responsible people (as opposed to those who aren't both straight and white???), but many ball parks around the country have for years limited beer sales, including stopping sales after, say, the 7th evening (after having problems with people of all races). Dodger Stadium still has no limits? The parks make a lot of money by selling beer at high prices, so don't expect that to be limited anytime soon.

[Clint Bradford]

Stop the sale of alcohol at this "family-friendly" venue. You can cut in half the existing security costs. Breathanalyzers at every entrance point.

Oh, sorry - doing something so basic as this and eliminating the true problem isn't on the table for discussion.

[Snarkwoofhund]

No matter, my family and I will never attend a Dodger game again.

People should know better then try to attend any professional sports events in Los Angeles. Dangerous

[Hollywood Mark]

McCourt will take the opportunity to reduce the size of the beer for the same price. Watch.

[smbaker]

Raising beer prices and decreasing the size of the beer will just encourage people to pound more beers in their car in the parking lot before the game. Once again most of us who can have a few beers responsibly will have to pay for the idiocy of the few...

[Chercherlafemme]

D'uh. They needed to spend a kajillion dollars to make this nexis?

[Tim]

Not until I moved to Southern California did I see tailgate parties at MLB games, or a stadium that sells alcohol past the seventh inning. I've seen people walking out of Angel Stadium with full beers and hard drinks. In fact, I saw it just one day after the drunk-driving accident that killed pitcher Nick Adenhart last year. It's nice to have a beer and some peanuts at the game, but there are way too many people just getting blasted at baseball games here, and it starts even before they enter the stadium.

[Native Angeleno]

If there is any way to benefit from this fiasco, McCourt will find it, abuse it, and overide the beneficial aspects of any changes, for his personal profit.

Don't reward him with a penny; don't go to the games, and don't buy any Dodger paraphrenalia, the proceeds from which supports his parasitical lifestyle.

[Bob Reginald]

Ban alcohol, but allow pot sales.

Problem solved.

Plus extra revenue from concession food purchases.