# Stadium policy - no cap on your bottle of pop. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701 "2006-08-14T17:59:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/1 "2006-08-14T17:59:49Z")
At the Skydome in Toronto (I refuse to call it the Rogers center), they have a policy that the concession people are not allowed to sell you a bottle (plastic) of pop with the cap on. They remove the cap in front of you, and throw it out. If you ask for the cap they say they are not allowed to give it to you due to stadium policy. For the life of me, I can’t think of a reasonable reason why they have this policy. Does anybody know why they do this? ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/2 "2006-08-14T18:01:31Z")
[QUOTE=LionelHutz405] At the Skydome in Toronto (I refuse to call it the Rogers center), they have a policy that the concession people are not allowed to sell you a bottle (plastic) of pop with the cap on. They remove the cap in front of you, and throw it out. If you ask for the cap they say they are not allowed to give it to you due to stadium policy. For the life of me, I can’t think of a reasonable reason why they have this policy. Does anybody know why they do this? [/QUOTE] WAG: They don’t want you throwing them ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/3 "2006-08-14T18:05:52Z")
Wow, that’s odd. Maybe they don’t want people shaking the bottle and cutting loose with a stream of foam? I haven’t been to the Dome since the car show a couple of years ago, so I didn’t know that. Is it a fairly new policy? (I wonder what would happen if we brought in our own caps from other bottles? 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/4 "2006-08-14T18:06:04Z")
[QUOTE=OldGuy] WAG: They don’t want you throwing them [/QUOTE] I don’t think so. I’m talking about the plastic cap off a pop bottle. You could hit someone with it and they probably wouldn’t even notice. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/5 "2006-08-14T18:08:37Z")
[QUOTE=LionelHutz405] I don’t think so. I’m talking about the plastic cap off a pop bottle. You could hit someone with it and they probably wouldn’t even notice. [/QUOTE] No, but it does make it harder to throw a full bottle of soda if the cap is off. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/6 "2006-08-14T18:09:05Z")
Sunspace, I don’t know if it’s a new policy. This was at an Argos football game. And yes, I’m going to bring my own cap next time because otherwise the pop goes flat too quickly. Heh maybe they’ll kick me out and I’ll get a change to ask why. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/7 "2006-08-14T18:14:04Z")
[QUOTE=FatBaldGuy] No, but it does make it harder to throw a full bottle of soda if the cap is off. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I thought of that too. But if I wanted to chuck the bottle would it being capless really stop me? If that really was their concern you would think they would just switch to selling it in cups instead. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/8 "2006-08-14T18:27:25Z")
[QUOTE=LionelHutz405] Yeah, I thought of that too. But if I wanted to chuck the bottle would it being capless really stop me? If that really was their concern you would think they would just switch to selling it in cups instead. [/QUOTE] Cups cost money. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/9 "2006-08-14T18:28:03Z")
Full bottle of soda/pop with cap on: OUCH! Bottle of soda/pop with cap off: ouch and more of a mess actually. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/10 "2006-08-14T18:49:56Z")
My WAG is that it has something to do with alcohol. It’s pretty easy to mix Jack and Coke and make it look normal in a coke bottle. You can also stash it away pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/11 "2006-08-14T18:50:07Z")
Bottle of soda/pop with cap off: loses who knows how much liquid on the way, spilling it on people who can probably determine who threw it and are close enough to do something about it. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/12 "2006-08-14T18:52:19Z")
Also it might make people less likely to use their old soda bottles as water bottles. Then they sell more water. Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/13 "2006-08-14T18:53:04Z")
[QUOTE=LionelHutz405] …And yes, I’m going to bring my own cap next time because otherwise the pop goes flat too quickly… [/QUOTE] Could that be the answer? Accelerating the flatness of soda yields more soda sales. I wonder if the cap keeps the soda colder longer. That might also lead to more soda sales. Do they do the same with beer? It wouldn’t work the same way with beer since no real sports fan would waste beer. But once the beer has gone flat and warm, it’s much easier to chug and then get a new one. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/14 "2006-08-14T18:55:15Z")
Any possibility of an odd local statute concerning the selling vs serving of beverages? I can envision something that would tax them differently if they sell closed bottles, as opposed to serving opened bottles. Bottle caps getting stuck in the drains? They give the bottle caps to the staff, who can then enter the codes printed in them to see if they win whatever the current bottle cap promotion? ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/15 "2006-08-14T19:08:21Z")
[QUOTE=I\_Know\_Nothing] My WAG is that it has something to do with alcohol. It’s pretty easy to mix Jack and Coke and make it look normal in a coke bottle. You can also stash it away pretty quickly. [/QUOTE] They already sell alcohol at the stadium, so you really don’t have to do anything to disguise it. [QUOTE=Jackknifed Juggernaut] Accelerating the flatness of soda yields more soda sales. I wonder if the cap keeps the soda colder longer. That might also lead to more soda sales. [/QUOTE] That’s possible. That seems really money grubbing to me though. [QUOTE=Jackknifed Juggernaut] Do they do the same with beer? [/QUOTE] Beer is sold in cups. I didn’t notice if they put a lid on it. [QUOTE=gotpasswords] Any possibility of an odd local statute concerning the selling vs serving of beverages? I can envision something that would tax them differently if they sell closed bottles, as opposed to serving opened bottles. Bottle caps getting stuck in the drains? They give the bottle caps to the staff, who can then enter the codes printed in them to see if they win whatever the current bottle cap promotion? [/QUOTE] I’ve never heard of any tax laws like that. Stuck in drains? I don’t think so. There is plenty of other typical stadium garbage that would also stick. I saw the staff throw the cap out and there was no promotion going on. Now it’s bugging me even more. I sent an email to guest services so if I get an answer, I’ll let you all know. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/16 "2006-08-14T19:14:26Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] Bottle caps getting stuck in the drains? [/QUOTE] Wouldn’t surprise me if simple litter was the major issue. Sell 20,000 drinks with caps, and _maybe_ half those caps will end up in the garbage cans. The rest’ll just be dropped near the seats as the patrons settle in, open their drinks, and only then realize there’s nowhere but the floor to put the caps. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/17 "2006-08-14T19:16:30Z")
[QUOTE=OldGuy] WAG: They don’t want you throwing them [/QUOTE] That’s what the vendor at the stadium told me when I asked. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/18 "2006-08-14T20:00:04Z")
[QUOTE=LionelHutz405] And yes, I’m going to bring my own cap next time because otherwise the pop goes flat too quickly. [/QUOTE] Holy crap! How big are these bottles? I can’t imagine a standard 20oz bottle (or whatever the standard size is in Canada) going flat faster than I can drink it. I usually buy 1-liter bottles, and I can usually finish those off before they go flat, and I don’t keep the bottle capped when it’s sitting next to me. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/19 "2006-08-14T20:13:35Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Wouldn’t surprise me if simple litter was the major issue. Sell 20,000 drinks with caps, and _maybe_ half those caps will end up in the garbage cans. The rest’ll just be dropped near the seats as the patrons settle in, open their drinks, and only then realize there’s nowhere but the floor to put the caps. [/QUOTE] That sounds like the most plausible answer. You step on one of those cap and you can go tumbling, which can lead to lawsuits. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701/20 "2006-08-14T20:21:20Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] Holy crap! How big are these bottles? I can’t imagine a standard 20oz bottle (or whatever the standard size is in Canada) going flat faster than I can drink it. I usually buy 1-liter bottles, and I can usually finish those off before they go flat, and I don’t keep the bottle capped when it’s sitting next to me. [/QUOTE] Just the standard bottle size, whatever that is. Like you’d get out of a vending machine. Well yes, ‘goes flat’ is overstating it. It tastes better to me if I can re-cap it and retain more fizzy goodness. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stadium-policy-no-cap-on-your-bottle-of-pop-why/368701.md?page=2)