NFL's Atlanta Falcons Putting an End to Price Gouging on Concession Food

— -- NFL fans will no longer feel they're paying an arm and a leg on stadium concession food — at least if they're taking in a game at the Atlanta Falcons' future home.

The team's new $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which will open next year, will sell a number of menu items for $5 or less, even for major events such as the Super Bowl and college bowl games, according to a press release from the Falcons. The stadium is slated to host the NCAA men's Final Four basketball games in 2020.

The move is a reversal in the spectator sports industry, in which there's a race to provide premium seating and gourmet chefs serving high-end stadium cuisine. For example, celebrity chef Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group sells beef bratwurst for $9.75 and beef brisket sandwich for $10.25 at the New York Mets’ Citi Field and Nationals Park, home to the Washington Nationals.

But at the new Falcons stadium, a hot dog will cost $2, compared with the average $5.29 at NFL stadiums last year, according to sports research company Team Marketing Report.

Other fan-centric decisions include having more concession stands and allowing fans to move around on every floor of the stadium, said Rich McKay, president and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons.

"You don’t need to have a premium ticket. We wanted to have amenities on every level," McKay told ABC News. "Our upper deck may have better amenities than our lower deck."

The stadium and the Atlanta Falcons are owned by billionaire Arthur Blank, a co-founder of Home Depot. He also owns the Atlanta United soccer team.

“We focused from the beginning on building a unique fan experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with a goal of helping those who visit to leave the stadium with great memories shared with family and friends, not aggravation and frustration about their experience,” Blank said in a statement. “We have listened to the concerns of the fans on the food and beverage experience and have responded to those concerns in a way that honors our commitment to providing the best possible fan experience at our events.”

Some of the food and drink prices when the stadium opens in 2017:

$2: Nonalcoholic drinks, with unlimited free refills

$2: Dasani bottled water, hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn

$3: Peanuts, pizza, nachos, waffle fries

$5: 12 oz. domestic beer

The average price of a beer at NFL stadiums was $7.42 in 2015, and soft drinks averaged $4.79, according to Team Marketing Report.

Additional menu items will be added in the coming months, according to Mike Gomes, senior vice president, fan experience with AMB Sports and Entertainment Group, which owns the stadium and team, including some "healthy" options.

"It’s not just about low prices," Gomes said. "You have to continue to drive quality."