Phillies scrap Dollar Dog Night, cite unruly fans as 'tipping point' - ESPN

PHILADELPHIA — For more than a quarter century, Phillies fans considered Dollar Hot Dog Night among the best ballpark promotions — but the team has now decided it was the wurst.

Those dog days of April — when the Philly weather is cold and the wieners are a steal — are going, going, gone.

The Phillies officially ended the popular promotion Thursday and replaced dollar dogs on select dates with a 2-for-1 deal at two April games at Citizens Bank Park.

A statement from the team said the change was made «based on the organization's ongoing commitment to provide a positive experience for all fans in attendance.»

What wasn't positive about Dollar Dog Nights?

Armed with projectile frankfurters, some unruly Phillies fans began chucking their favorite Hatfield meat during a game last year, and the dogs soared like cans of corn throughout the stands and onto the field. The demand for the discount dogs also led to clogged lanes on the concourse, and the cramped spaces led to security and safety concerns.

An April 11 game last season turned into a Philly food fight when fans — largely good-naturedly — tossed their ballpark franks in several sections, leading to multiple ejections.

«It wasn't just the throwing,» said John Weber, senior vice president, Phillies ticket operations and projects. «It's the concourse, the crowds of everybody being at the same X amount of stands. But obviously, you know, the throwing was a little bit of a tipping point.»

To be frank, the Phillies don't necessarily need the deal these days to pack in crowds. The Phillies started the promotion 27 years ago when they still played at cavernous Veterans Stadium to try and boost ticket sales on an otherwise dreary game night.

But the Phillies stuck with the