I'm at Mapfre stadium for the MLS Cup, and the stadium has already run out of craft beer before the game has even started. I have to say this is poor planning and logistics on the part of Columbus Distributing and AB-Inbev. The stadium and. Columbus Distributing has missed out on a valuable opportunity to support local breweries. I suspect Widmer and Craft Brew Alliance supplied more craft beer for the Timbers Army pregame than Columbus brought for the match. This was a missed opportunity, and I wish myself and others could have supported local businesses while at the match.
The lines were ridiculous as well. The Crew have come a long way in the past year with local options, but definitely have a long way to go. AB/Inbev has a lot of pull in Columbus, with a large brewery right downthe freeway from Mapfre. That said, i think id rather drink Heneiken cans than any Widmer beers, ha.
I think you'd find that at a lot of parks/fields in similar circumstances, unfortunately. There won't be another event there for months. It's not worth it to purchase inventory that may or may not sell to please some of the masses. I've experienced the same thing at MLB stadiums right before a long road trip/at the end of a long homestand. Craft beer still represents such a small sector of the market, they're ok with upsetting the minority (a lot of whom will still purchase BMC while they're at the event), but you'll rarely (if ever) see them run out of the BMC products.
