Take Me Out to a Ballpark with Clean Restrooms

ATLANTA -- For many Americans, summer would hardly be complete without at least one trip to the ballpark, and in a survey of baseball fans who recently visited one of the nation’s 30 professional ballparks, GP PRO has found that restroom conditions affect the experience.

Other primary factors included parking, concessions, the quality of the game, a win for their team, the restrooms, and concourse amenities.

As a leading manufacturer of hygienic restroom solutions, GP PRO naturally focused on restrooms and the extent to which they affect the game-day experience.

On the plus side, nearly three-quarters of survey respondents were satisfied with their ballpark restroom experience. Still, nearly half indicated that having a bad restroom experience would make them less likely to return to the venue, and just over 40 percent said it would make them less likely to buy concessions.

As for what contributes to an unsatisfactory restroom experience, respondents called out long lines (53%), product outages (26%), and a general lack of cleanliness (22%).

“These findings support what we’ve stated consistently – the restroom experience matters, particularly in high-traffic venues like sports arenas and ballparks, where fans pay a premium just to walk through the gates,” said John Strom, vice president and general manager of innovation with GP PRO. As for how to improve the restroom experience, John said, “One fan of the Major Leagues who responded to our survey suggested ballparks install ‘intelligent sensors to ensure that the restrooms are cleaned in a timely manner.’ I couldn’t agree more!”

Among GP PRO’s restroom solutions is the KOLO Smart Monitoring System, which uses wireless communications to enable real-time, data-driven cleaning and maintenance. The KOLO system helps custodians keep dispensers stocked, fixtures functional, and restrooms clean and hygienic so users can enjoy a more efficient and satisfactory restroom experience. The KOLO system is a literal game-changer for professional baseball, basketball, football, and hockey venues across the country.

Not surprisingly, aside from only visiting ballparks equipped with the KOLO system, baseball fans wanting to improve their chances of having a positive restroom experience should avoid restrooms during the seventh-inning stretch when, according to GP PRO’s survey, nearly one-quarter of ballpark attendees are most likely to use them.

GP PRO’s full survey is available on its website at gppro.com.