“Seat ‘em and feed ‘em” was once a popular adage of how a sports facility can make money. “The evolution of arenas over the last decade from ‘seat ‘em and feed ‘em’ warehouses to potent money-making destinations” was cited in print in 1998. It’s not known who coined “seat ‘em and feed ‘em.”
     
 
MarketWatch
The evolution of the sports arena 11-13-98
Published: Nov 14, 1998 4:14 p.m. ET
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What appeal do two large and drafty gymnasiums hold for investors?

Plenty, say sports business insiders, citing the evolution of arenas over the last decade from “seat ‘em and feed ‘em” warehouses to potent money-making destinations.
     
Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily
From dinner table to top of the heap
BONAR MENNINGER
Published July 19, 1999
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“Most of the facilities built in the 1950s and 1960s are economically obsolete,” Jorgensen said. “It was just a seat-‘em-and-feed-‘em mentality. But today, owners are looking for anything that can produce revenues.”
 
Construction Equipment Guide
U of Miss. to Host Showdowns in $85M Arena
By: Cindy Riley - CEG CORRESPONDENT
Region: Southeast Edition | StoryID: 24092 | Published On: 12/10/2014
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“Sports buildings need to address many unique concerns,” said Niemuth. “Among them are being sure the facility creates a universal experience, allows for safe access and egress and accommodates a wide array of technology needs. There’s an old saying that the purpose of sports facility design was to ‘seat ‘em and feed ‘em’, but those days are long gone, and that mindset is no longer applicable when creating signature venues for clients and communities.