re: My concessions experience

Needless to say, we will not be utilizing the LSU concessions at future Football events. Come Baseball season, I’m quite certain the same decision will prevail if Aramark is in control of the concessions. It’s time for LSU officials to sample some of the food served in the concession stands and I’m not talking about the ones located in the Club level….unless those are the only fans you want to satisfy. It’s time to do some more research and realize the pitiful product you are putting out to your fans and visitors.

Contact vausbe1@lsu.edu to voice your concerns about concessions. If more people email something can get done

I know this e-mail is too long, but I started writing and then by the time I finished I didn't feel like editing it:


Good morning. Saturday I was extremely excited to experience the new Tiger Stadium Skyline Club but left angry and hungry. This is not the first time that the concession experience has been disappointing, particularly this season as it seems to be much worse with Aramark. I understand that running concessions is difficult and stressful, as I led several school groups in the previous year running booths at Alex Box. Though it was a very good way to raise money for the clubs I sponsor, I am uncertain I want to do it this year after viewing the level of incompetence by management.

Though, previous occasions had dampened my expectations I was enthusiastic to try Skyline. I was disappointed immediately. Though at the beginning of the year The Advocate wrote “gumbo poutine fry stak, crawfish poutine fry stak, Creole gumbo nachos and tasso white beans…” Instead, the menu included the normal concession food of hotdogs, hamburgers, and nachos (no special toppings) as well as plain red beans and “pulled pork.” Both the “special” menu items were low quality and obviously came from previously frozen bags in mass quantities then reheated. They tasted exactly the food we serve in the school cafeteria where I teach. What’s worse though is that upon arriving about thirty minutes before the game, everything was cold. Not merely lukewarm, but cold. After a few bites, we threw the food away and went back closer to game time. At this point they had started to run out of buns and when I went to get hamburger buns they only had bottoms. See picture below. Was there anything special about the still cold burger? No. Were there available tomatoes, lettuce or onions to put on the burger? No.

By the mid-second quarter, the lines became very long, and there was no food at all left. A staff member told the people to wait as more food was being delivered. Approximately ten minutes later, the young lady returned to say that more food was not on the way but that they were out. They indefensibly ran out of food before halftime. I found myself apologizing to multiple A&M fans throughout the night when I overheard them complaining. In South Louisiana the culinary capital of the world, this is what we have to offer? In Tiger Stadium, supposedly one of the best experiences in college football, this is what we have to offer?
Coach O, stated in response to the announced Skyline Club to "Feed them, but don't feed them too much. If they eat too much, they won't cheer." He shouldn’t have had to worry because for myself and other patrons; we left the game hungry. If being deceived about the food was not enough, I also felt lied to about the alcohol selection. The advocate article mentioned above also stated that “ticket holders can purchase domestic, premium and some craft beers.” Much like the press release about the food, this is borderline false advertising. The offerings of Budweiser, Bud Light, Miller Lite and Tin Roof Blonde does not include “premium” or “some craft.” Though I would certainly love the options of a Peanutbutter Porter, a Coffe Stout, or an IPA my expectations weren’t even that high (though to be sure several local craft breweries make tremendous beers of those varieties). However, the fact that three options were terrible mainstream beers followed up by a similar mundane blonde ale is disheartening. Particularly when your press releases falsely promised otherwise.

Several points in the past few years I have looked around the stadium to see many empty seats, particularly in the second half, and I completely understand. LSU has an increasingly awful fan experience. The aforementioned problems are exacerbated by the lack of cell service or wifi, the lack of instant replays during the game or highlights from other big games, awful piped in music, overproduced annoying videos in key situations, and the unwillingness to allow the band to play musical pieces that actually get the fans excited. So why should I pay to attend the game when the in-home experience is incomparably better?

We’ve been to many other SEC Venues in the past several years, TA&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina as well as LSU games in Dallas Stadium, Houston Stadium, Minute Maid Park, Georgia Dome, and LSU concessions is by far the worst. We live in South Louisiana and with our reputation for good Cajun cooking, we should be the best in the SEC. We should be proud of what we serve inside the stadium and be able to brag to visitors of the complete LSU game-day experience. Instead I feel compelled to tell them; eat all you want outside of the stadium because you’re not going to like what is served inside the stadium.

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FOOD IS SO AWFUL AND THE LINES ARE SO LONG...I REFUSE TO BUY ANYTHING INSTEAD JUST STUFF MYSELF BEFORE GOING INTO THE STADIUM

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^^This

I know it's bad now, but try and remember that all the concessions stands will be renovated and all the tv's replaced with big screens in time for the home opener next season.

LSU spent $4 million wiring Tiger Stadium for digital HD transmission...

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The $4 million upgrade will allow LSU to feed custom content and event footage to hundreds of high-definition televisions located throughout these three venues. LSU spent most of 2017 removing old wiring and installing the necessary technology infrastructure throughout Tiger Stadium, the Maravich Center and Alex Box Stadium to support the new system.

“Tiger Stadium wasn’t exactly wired for this,” said Emmett David, Associate Athletics Director for Facility & Project Development. “It’s a massive upgrade and requires a lot of technological and infrastructure improvements to be performed. Once fully installed, our fans will enjoy a crystal-clear picture, stats, college football updates and much more.”

The new system will be run by live event broadcast personnel in a central control room located in the LSU Athletic Administration Building. David said the HD television sets will be installed at concession stands and concourse areas throughout the three venues as well as in all premium seating areas.

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LSUsports

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Aramark

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found the problem

The one down vote you received must be a concession worker.

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This is the response I received

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I got almost exactly the same response.

I was forwarded the concerns you expressed about our concessions operations. I want to apologize for the unacceptable operations you experienced. You and all our fans deserve better. It’s our aim to provide the best possible game day experience and we clearly fell short of that for you and other fans who encountered similar problems.



I toured all of the concession stands throughout the season and I saw many of the same issues you have expressed in your comments. Our lines were entirely too long and the product our fans received at the end of their long wait was not up to our standards. We should never run out of essential concession items such as hot dogs.



I can assure you LSU Athletics is working with our new partners at Aramark to rectify these issues for next season. We are also working to make sure some of the mistakes made during football do not carry forward to other sporting events. Hearing directly from our fans helps tremendously. As we formally review the season, Aramark will be sending a survey to season ticket holders. I hope you will be able to take part in that survey as that data is very helpful to us as we work to improve concessions for our fans.



I would also like to share the recent statement we have received form Aramark regarding their operations:



“We are committed to providing prompt, courteous service at Tiger Stadium and regret that any fan had a less than satisfactory experience during the football season. We are working with LSU to ensure this doesn’t happen again and the feedback we have received from LSU fans helps highlight the areas where improvements need to be made. LSU fans deserve the best and it is our pledge to work hard to exceed those expectations moving forward.”



I have also included a link to the press release from LSU Athletics regarding the TVs:



LINK



Again, I would like to apologize and express our thanks for your continued support of LSU Athletics.

1. LSU has its $$$ for concessions, paid by Aramark. Aramark needs to sell concessions to make a profit.

2. QUIT BUYING CONCESSIONS until Aramark or LSU solves the concessions problems. OK, maybe just buy water or a Coke but no food.