By: Liz Farmer | Examiner Staff Writer Follow Her @LizFarmerDC | 06/22/11 11:48 AM
In a thinly veiled ruse to make FedEx Field's capacity smaller so it doesn't look so pathetic halfway through the season when Redskins fans have stomached just about all they can, the team is selling off actual seats beginning Wednesday.
The seat removal is part of the team's end zone renovation in which two, standing-room-only party decks are being installed in place of several thousand seats. The team is selling off 800 actual end zone seats for $250 a pop. The money will go to the Redskins Charitable Foundation.
Party decks are a relatively recent trend and no doubt a move by owner Dan Snyder to boost the stadium's likeability score. But they also will conveniently remove some of the cheapest seats in a way-too-expensive stadium (by most people's rating). This helps Snyder's wallet by being able to crowd more people in the end zone for the popular games — it takes less room to stand than sit — thus likely earning him more revenue even at a lower ticket price than the old 400-level end zone seats.
The party deck also places fans closer to their booze than ever (short of being in a club seat). Outcome? WAY more concessions revenue. Especially because gimmicks like party decks tend to attract casual fans and what else are they going to do at boring old FedEx if you're not watching football?
Cha-ching, Mr. Snyder. Cha. Ching.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2011/06/redskins-selling-seats-nope-not-tickets-seats#ixzz1Q9qo5sx2