‘Buy me no peanuts and Cracker Jack’

A serious affliction is a marketing opportunity for the Minnesota Twins.

According to a release today, the Twins are making the Skybox “peanut-free and available exclusively for individuals with peanut allergies and their families for selected games during the 2008 season.”

The first Peanut-free Skybox event is Monday against Detroit.

The danger of a peanut allergy is the unintentional consumption of food containing peanuts or peanut oil. It’s also the possibility of coming in contact with peanuts, even through the skin.

According to a Star Tribune article last year:

it is relatively uncommon for children to be so allergic to peanuts that simply sitting next to someone eating a peanut could trigger a serious reaction. But it can occur that the dust from peanuts is inhaled and someone suffers from anaphylaxis, which is a complete and sometimes fatal allergic reaction.

At $30 a pop, the Peanut-free Skybox is a fairly pricey seat. Two of the three dates selected for the promotion are so-called “premium games,” when the Twins increase the ticket prices because the team they’re playing is good.