Cheap Seats and Endless Eats

At least thirteen of Major League Baseball's 30 teams are offering all-you-can-eat seats for all or part of the 2008 season, reports USA Today. The idea has made tickets to less salable corners of ballparks more popular — in some cases selling them out entirely.

The all-you-can-eat initiative was pioneered by the Los Angeles Dodgers two years ago as a way to draw fans to a mostly empty section of Dodger Stadium. The team offered fans buying a ticket in the section unlimited amounts of designated menu items (including the hugely popular “Dodger Dog” hot dog, but not beer) for a flat $40 ($35 in advance) price (including the $8 ticket).

All-you-can-eat strategies vary by team, with some making designated sections of the ballpark all-you-can-eat for every game while others have the option only on designated dates.

Ticket prices for these seats range from $30 (Atlanta Braves) to $200 (St. Louis Cardinals), with the majority in the $30-$55 range. Most teams include pre-cooked, easy-to-prepare ballpark fare such as hot dogs, nachos, peanuts and soft drinks but don't include beer, burgers, pizzas and desserts.