7A Testing Hypothesis

1.      The opportunity I would like to pursue as a possible entrepreneurial venture, Is the lack of affordable food options that don’t substitute quality for a cheaper price point. Big sporting events and concerts don’t offer the people a cheap alternative to the exacerbated price points offered at these events.

·        The Who: The students and people that attend events around Gainesville

·        The What: The lack of affordable food options

·        The Why: Because with the options available they are either very expensive or the quality is subpar.

2.      Hypothesis Testing

·        Testing the Who: I’m fairly certain that everyone in my sample shares this need. Some may experience this need more than others, but the need is still present regardless.

·        Testing the What: The boundaries of this opportunity encompass both the people that attend these major events and also the established food vendors that are provided at stadiums, arenas, and other venues. The people shouldn’t have to shell out $7 for popcorn or a drink. These items are excessively priced and cause them to either not buy anything or spend a lot of money for very little food.

·        Testing the Why: I think it is clear that everyone wants to have good quality food. That doesn’t excuse stadiums and other venues the ability to provide their fans/attendees the dissatisfaction of providing them a incredibly unsatisfactory product. However, the bottom line to these businesses is to make money. If they can get by with a subpar product and still make money then they will never change.

3.      Interviews

                             I.          The first person I interviewed was a male student here that the University of Florida. They constantly attend all the major sporting events in and around the city of Gainesville. Especially as a student, money is tight for him. He barely has enough to pay all his bills so having to spend an exuberant amount of money on food is not in the cards for him. He told me he normally doesn’t eat at the games, he would rather go out to like McDonalds before the game or just make a meal at home. In particular he pointed out that all the options are not very enticing considering the price. He would be willing to pay those prices if the value of the food was even a smidgen closer to be in the customers favor. But until that happens he will continue to not purchase food and beverages from these food vendors.

                           II.          The next person I came across for an interview was a female student here at UF. She also attends a lot of sporting events here but not as many as our die-hard super fan in the first interview. She usually comes to the games with a group of friends and they treat it more like a hangout than to focus on the game. With that being said they normally will buy some food and drinks from the food vendors around the stadium. However, they will only purchase a few items and then share them amongst the group. This not only keeps the costs low to accommodate their budgets, but it also allows them to eat as much or as little as they need. They might be buying the food but she would appreciate it if things like drinks where cheaper because that not necessarily something you can share.

  

                         III.           The third person that I interviewed is an alumnus of the University of Florida that has been a season ticket holder and booster for the past 10 years. Him and his family have been attending UF football, basketball, and baseball games for as long as he can remember. He has many fond memories of watching the games with his father and brothers when he was younger. It was a tradition for them to come up to Gainesville for every home football game. With that they would normally get food during the game. He reminisced about getting a hot dog and a Gatorade at some point through the game. So, for him these food options hold a sentimental aspect that seems to outweigh the price of said combination of items. He plans on doing the same thing with his kids once they are old enough to come and enjoy the games. Overall he wishes the price point could be a little cheaper since the gameday experience is already so expensive for him and his family to attend. This would be one area they could save some money. However, they would still be willing to pay it if the price doesn’t change. Simply because of the nostalgia that it provides.

                         IV.          The fourth person I interviewed is just an everyday citizen here in Gainesville. They go to some of these major events on occasion but not as often as the people that where previously interviewed. For her the biggest problem with the food options available at these events was more about the quality and variety than the price point. She told me that she wasn’t a huge fan of the typical gameday food that are a staple at sporting events like hot dogs, hamburgers, fried food, etc. When she goes to these events she has a hard time finding options that are accommodating to her, and the options she does find are even more expensive than the gameday food options offered right next door.

                           V.          The final person I ended up interviewing was a close friend of mine who frequently attends sports events and concerts not only in Gainesville but in other venues across the country. He made it very clear that he wishes the food quality at events around Gainesville is lacking compared to other stadiums he has been too during his life. He feels it would be better for these food vendors to focus more on the quality of the food rather than the price point. “If the food is worth the price then we will buy it” this seemed to be the main sentiment of his discussion about this topic.

4.      Summery/Write up

Overall there where two common themes within all the interviews and discussions I’ve had about this opportunity. The prices for food at these events are too high and the quality of the food isn’t worth the price that they are forcing us to pay. One of these factors has to adjust in order to increase business for these vendors. The people deserve to have a good quality/affordable option when it comes to food at these events. It isn’t right to force them to pay for overpriced food that doesn’t have the same quality that you would expect of that price. I think this is an opportunity that could be beneficial to the masses as it will benefit a large group of people and allow them an alternative option to the traditional food vendors that you would normally find at stadiums and other venues.