Finally, an uplifting sports story: "The Oakland A’s are reducing beer prices."

Photo credit (uniform and team history).

The new beer price structure is less expensive than in Cleveland, where we saw the Indians play last year.

ON THE AVENUES: It no longer keeps me waiting.

I've been an A's fan for 46 or so years, and haven't seen the team play even once in Oakland.

The Oakland A’s are reducing beer prices, by Craig Calcaterra (NBC Sports)

Pop quiz, hot shot!

Your team isn’t very good, your stadium situation is in flux for the umpteenth year in a row and you’re coming off a year in which your were 29th out of 30 in average attendance. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?

You lower beer prices ...

Tricentennial Ale, available at Exclusively New Albany on June 20.

Recently I've been musing aloud about the wetting of beaks, and the persistence of various modes of behavior. The digression began here:

NABC and Exclusively New Albany: What would YOU do?

 ... Exclusively New Albany is a "signature" event, meaning that only those businesses paying dues as members of DNA have the right to vend for cash (as would be the case with full pours of craft beer from NABC). All others are invited to participate as samples-only delegates, and donate product.

It was renewed here:

An alternative model; conversely, let's just drink some good beer and let it go.

 ... Look, I know DNA won't entertain my suggestion, and furthermore, I understand that the whole event vending "rule" scheme is constructed to be a sweetheart deal for a friend of the non-transparent former regime, which still holds sway in spite of the welcome change in leadership.

It is my pleasure to report that the impasse has been artfully resolved. At the Exclusively New Albany event on June 20, you will find two types of NABC beer being vended by full, adult-sized pour, for which cash money will be gratefully accepted. One of the taps has yet to be announced. The other definitely will be Tricentennial Ale, providing those in attendance the opportunity to drink Post-Colonial Ale in a pleasant, streetside setting ... and by popular demand, I'll be there to talk beer.

All it took was an idea man ... and I thank him.

An alternative model; conversely, let's just drink some good beer and let it go.

Karaoke by Li'l Stevie at Exclusively New Albany, 2012

I posed the question earlier last week.

NABC and Exclusively New Albany: What would YOU do?

Exclusively New Albany is a "signature" event, meaning that only those businesses paying dues as members of DNA have the right to vend for cash (as would be the case with full pours of craft beer from NABC). All others are invited to participate as samples-only delegates, and donate product.

I've been thinking about this. The point isn't about the relative pittance that a vendor might earn from such a gig. It's about conceptual consistency of the sort so elusive here in New Albany.

Develop New Albany's rule (whether or not the rule actually exists on paper anywhere, which is doubtful) is that only those entities with a paid membership in DNA can vend for profit at a DNA signature event.

To join DNA for just one event would cost $250 dollars. The only event that DNA even stages during the course of the year, as structured to provide any semblance of a vending opportunity, is Exclusively New Albany, and so in essence, there is a $250 fee to vend at this solitary event.

(Another obvious question: DNA runs the Farmers Market, where few of the weekly vendors are members of DNA; where there is no requirement to be a member; and where the fee for weekly vending is far less. How then does the Farmers Market fit into this equation?)

My original proposal to DNA was to allow us to sell full pours of NABC beers at Exclusively New Albany, rather than pour small gratis samples, given that the vast majority of event attendees who like our beers are drinking full pours of them regularly, anyway, and would prefer to do so at DNA's event rather than cans of Bud Light or Heineken -- neither of which fit into anyone's conception of localism, a doctrine that DNA purportedly seeks to expound (for example) at the Farmers Market ... and what does "exclusively New Albany" mean if not emphasizing items and ideas unique to here, as opposed to emanating from Leuven or Amsterdam?

But I digress.

My pouring proposal is to allow NABC to "pay to play," though not by imposing a yearly membership fee on the vendor, up front. Rather, I'd bring kegs, pour beers and share a percentage of the after-cost proceeds with DNA. Depending on the amount of beer sold, the return to DNA conceivable would be more than the flat $250 fee. Probably not, but the point is that such a model would encourage vendors like me to push some product, make some money for themselves, and provide consideration to the sponsoring organization to wet its beak, all at the same time. You know, rather like capitalism is supposed to work.

Look, I know DNA won't entertain my suggestion, and furthermore, I understand that the whole event vending "rule" scheme is constructed to be a sweetheart deal for a friend of the non-transparent former regime, which still holds sway in spite of the welcome change in leadership. At the end of the day, it just isn't very beneficial of me to give samples of beer away at a venue where most of the folks in attendance already know the product line. Besides that, craft beer brewers are trying to move away from non-remunerative sample models like that of Exclusively New Albany.

Our friend who lives right next door to the Exclusively New Albany venue has been gracious in offering the use of her yard on the night of the DNA event. My inclination at the moment, if she's still willing, is to set up a keg there on June 20, and have our own little party. Think of the clever Poorcastle Festival.

The beer and food will be on me. If you'll be attending Exclusively New Albany, just stop by and have a good local beer before or after. It sounds like an equitable compromise to me, with no money changing hands, and it will make the mass-market swill at the event go down far easier. We'll be talking about two-way streets, housing rehabs and Houndmouth.

Stay tuned for further details.

Which amphitheater events are suitable for locally brewed craft beer? How do you decide whether or not to attend?

Saturday’s Celts on the River concert was the biggest summertime event so far this year at New Albany’s Riverfront Amphitheater, but bookings of music and entertainment continue well into September, just prior to Harvest Homecoming. As most of you know, to coordinate these bookings, and to tend to other details at the amphitheater, the mayor appointed a committee. They've contributed much hard work, and should be thanked for their efforts.

Speaking in public comments here yesterday in her official capacity as Chairperson of the New Albany Riverfront Amphitheater, Shelle England asked me:

“When (is) the New Albanian team ... available for Friday and Saturday events at the Amphitheater?”

She added:

“We are committed to supporting our locally owned businesses (by) giving them the opportunity to be present at the New Albany Riverfront Amphitheater. All performers and vendors are scheduled through the Riverfront Amphitheater Committee, so we are ready to add the New Albanian to our calendar, which contains performances through September.”

Heartened and encouraged, I immediately apologized for any misconceptions that may have occurred, such as my naive assumption that NABC's volunteering to contribute a percentage of event profits to the amphitheater's upkeep as part of a transparent and comprehensive annual vendor selection process might be viewed as progressive and desirable, given the mayoral imperative in place to stage "free" events that nonetheless incur expenses in preparation, cleaning, mowing and the like:

“It had been my understanding that the committee generally has ruled autonomously as to which of its amphitheater bookings are appropriate for "regular" catering choices and which ones are not, even if this duality of formula has remained obscure, and that the committee would be suggesting selected bookings suitable for our future vending presence. Consequently, I will touch base again with NABC's team members to collect their opinions about events suitable for craft beer.”

I want your opinions, too.

Readers, can you help me identify those amphitheater events suitable for locally brewed craft beer, as opposed to the ones where just regular beer will do? How do you differentiate? We can sell beer at some, not all. I believe that locally brewed craft beer goes well with jazz, alternative, classical, blues, country, rock and oom-pah; with theatrical, musical and spoken-word productions; and on all public holidays except Christmas, when the state of Indiana refuses to allow alcohol sales.

Here is a link for you to peruse: 2010 Schedule.

Moreover, given that musical styles, weather and personal scheduling will remain the most important factors in your decision to attend events at the amphitheater, how important is the availability of good beer when you make such decisions? If locally brewed craft beer is pouring for these events, would it make you more likely to attend? What about other food and drink: Would you like to see rotating "food court" vending choices, or are you satisfied with a smaller number of providers?

Thanks for your input. Transparency in public dialogue is infinitely more productive than opaqueness, don't you think?