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1/23 @ TempleModerators: PonyPride, SmooPower Re: 1/23 @ Temple
I was sitting with/ next to the four students making all the noise and directly behing Tide Pony. A youthful 61, you might have mistaken me for one of them. Party at The Wopper!
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
Ha excellent. Will look for y'all in Philly. There are a few others who were near us in Vegas that have been noticeably more reserved at subsequent games. The absence of liquor has an effect.
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
And, of course, what happens in Vegas..... I might have adked the beer lady to marry me. I'm not sure. Party at The Wopper!
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
That sweet lady at the beer kiosk? She reminded me of a disgruntled blackjack dealer at four queens.
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
The dude at the lika stand was accommodating
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
Pulse Channels Pulse Beer and Wine Sales at College Basketball Games Greg Gaskins Greg Gaskins Director of SAVOR...Lincoln Follow Beer and Wine Sales at College Basketball Games Aug 9, 2015729 views10 Likes0 CommentsShare on LinkedInShare on FacebookShare on Twitter Overview In venues that are multi purpose, selling alcohol is an event by event basis when a major tenant is a Division 1 NCAA basketball program. When concerts come in to the arena, beer goes on sale, when the basketball games tip off, the beer is off limits, leading fans of their favorite programs to sneak alcohol into the arena, or binge before the game starts. Beer sales goes hand-in-hand with attending a professional game, and college fans are no strangers to tailgating outside the arena, but several universities are trying their hand at beer and wine sales inside the games. At Southern Methodist University, the decision to sell alcohol during 12 basketball games last season led to a six-figure windfall, USA Today reports. With that kind of revenue, and with costs rising and litigation over compensation for college athletes pending, it’s possible more universities will go in that direction. At the Pinnacle Bank Arena, we are facing a similar struggle with how to generate more revenue out of the 34-36 UNL Husker Basketball season. Not only colleges and but city run facilities face a delicate balancing act soliciting beer sales where underage students congregate en masse. Problems have erupted in the past. The University of Colorado at Boulder, citing violence linked to drunken fans, banned beer sales in 1996 in all areas of Folsom Field except luxury suites and club seats. Just last month, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which does not allow alcohol sales in its stadium, banned alcohol-related advertising during football broadcasts. All SEC schools ban alcohol in general admission areas, but allow it in premium areas. So the average fan cannot get a drink, but the donners in the elite section of the stadiums and arenas can access alcohol. PAC 10 programs do not allow any drinking in facilities hosting a NCAA sanctioned event, so what do they do? At the University of Oregon, they set up beer sales in the practice facility adjacent to the arena. Sports fans over the age of 21 drink. It's a fact of life and no law will ever change that. Despite this fact, the NCAA and many states, cities and counties around the country have rules and regulations regarding the sale of alcohol at collegiate sporting events. Some of these rules are imposed by the schools themselves. Why? I don't understand limiting the revenue you could generate in college sports, especially when we see so many sports being cut around the country in the name of saving a few dollars. Collegiate sports are part of the fabric of our nation. When it comes down to a choice between cutting a sport and looking for ways to increase the revenue the sport generates, there shouldn't any question about what to do. Every opportunity to save the sport should be considered, including serving alcohol. One sport that could use alcohol sales in order to boost both attendance and revenue is college baseball. If you look at one of the most recent NCAA Baseball Attendance reports, you'll see that 19 of the top 20 schools play in warm weather climates. You'll also notice no Big Ten schools. That seems odd, considering the number of minor league baseball teams that thrive in the same area of the country that the Big Ten competes in. My point? Most Big ten teams don't serve alcohol at their games to offset the less than desirable weather as a way to draw spectators. As a result, they survive off the money their football and basketball teams generate. Looking closer at the same list, you'll see Creighton University at No. 16. Creighton plays in Omaha, NE. Omaha is in cold-weather Big Ten country, yet they draw nearly 3,000 fans to every game. Sure, playing at TD Ameritrade Park—home of the College World Series—might help a little. In my opinion, the stadium's proximity to campus and the fact that alcohol is served at the games has more to do with it. I can't imagine the amount of money the College World Series loses out on by not serving alcohol. Instead, fans pack the dozens of bars and beer tents within a stone's throw of TD Ameritrade Park before and after games, helping the city of Omaha's economy to the tune of $40 million or so every year. Think of the scholarships that just a sliver of that money could create and the programs around the country it could save. Some rules implemented by the colleges themselves involve not serving alcohol at off-campus events. I do not understand that logic either. I'm going to go off the cuff and guess that 33 percent of a college's undergraduate student body can legally purchase and consume alcohol. By not serving it at sporting events, the University of Nebraska is making the decision for students and fans to go off site of events to local bars and clubs for pregame festivities much easier, creating a situation where they could be walking or even potentially driving back to campus intoxicated. You also lose out on the cash they spend, which is second of course to the safety of the student and fans base body. Until the old-school thought process of the people who create and enforce these kind of rules changes, we'll be left with a college landscape where sports that don't generate enough on ticket sales alone disappear so as not to cut into the revenue that the football and basketball teams bring in. Case Study: The University of Maryland has submitted a proposal to sell beer and wine during athletic events at its two main campus venues, Byrd Stadium and Xfinity Center. The Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners, which holds final approval authority, will address the proposal during a public hearing July 8. Should it be approved, Maryland would sell beer and wine at concession stands for a one-year trial period beginning in the fall. In a letter distributed to the campus community Thursday morning, Maryland President Wallace D. Loh detailed the incentives for the move, writing that it “will enhance the fan experience.” Loh also asserted that alcohol sales at games will help reduce binge drinking, citing evidence from Syracuse and Colorado State, which offer alcohol at athletic events and have reported no increase in binge drinking behavior at games. Last season, 32 of 128 Football Bowl Subdivision programs allowed beer sales, according to published reports. Twenty-one of those schools played at on-campus venues, while the other 11 were tenants at municipal stadiums. Just five of those schools — Louisville, Miami, Minnesota, Syracuse and West Virginia — played in one of the “power five” conferences that earn higher revenue from television contracts. The vetting and review of the proposal drew more than 1,000 responses in an online university forum this spring, with most students in favor of the proposal. Most faculty and staff were not in favor, Loh pointed out in his letter. Maryland estimates that 85 percent of fans at football games are older than 21 — Byrd Stadium can hold about 54,000, while Xfinity Center seats nearly 18,000 — but the new policy could expose more alcohol to underage students who attend the game. No alcohol would be sold near the student sections, which hold about 10,000 at Byrd Stadium and 6,000 at Xfinity Center, Loh said in his letter. “We’re trying to change the climate on game days, from this binge-drinking culture of, you know, you rip 12 shots before you go into the game so you get drunk, and maybe instead you can have a beer or two to keep your buzz going if you want to drink,” said Patrick Ronk, Maryland’s student body president. “It’s a lot more of a social drinking environment rather than a binge drinking environment.” Alcohol sales also would provide the school with a new revenue stream. Loh estimates the school will make approximately $500,000 per year off sales and has vowed to donate all proceeds to student services such as mental health counseling, responsible drinking programs and sexual-assault awareness programs. Loh’s endorsement of the student-led proposal is the latest step in a process that began last fall. After the Student Government Association, Graduate Student Government and University of Maryland Police Department endorsed the proposal, the school’s Athletic Council voted 16-1 in favor in March. Nick Hadley, a physics professor who also serves as chairman of the Athletic Council, admitted Wednesday that he was initially skeptical of the proposal but ultimately supported the idea, which he believes promotes “responsible drinking in controlled environments.” Southern Methodist University sold almost $350,000 of beer and wine at basketball games last season, Melissa Repko of The Dallas Morning News reports. SMU started selling alcohol at men's basketball games at the newly renovated Moody Coliseum in January. In the fall, the university will expand the sales of alcoholic beverages to football games at Ford Stadium, which holds 32,000 people, compared to the 7,000 that the coliseum holds. Sales will begin at the first home game on Sept. 20 against Texas A&M. Though this is the first time alcohol will be sold to the general public, it was previously available in the stadium suites. At basketball games, concession stands sold beer for $6 or $8, and wine for $6. Repko reports that the beer and wine sales made up more than half the $650,000 in food and other concessions sold at the games. SMU is not the first school to make the change. The University of North Texas announced earlier this month that it will also sell beer to the general public at football games. According to Repko, "SMU officials and local police said they didn’t see an increase in noise complaints or alcohol-related offenses" after the change earlier this year Right now, the NCAA does not permit any alcohol at championship tournament events. In most conferences, however, alcohol sales are determined by the school. Most universities are wary of selling alcohol at sporting events because they are often considered family affairs, and most of the students in the crowd (and the athletes on the field) are underage. The SEC, the king of college football, has a league-wide ban on alcohol within the stadium. More schools are giving it a try, however. SMU ran a trial during basketball season, serving beer and wine at twelve home games. They netted into the six figures. Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock told USA Today that while his current school does not sell alcohol, he has seen it done in a responsible way at his previous institution, Cincinnati. At Virginia Tech, alcohol is only sold in the luxury suites at football games. At Cincinnati, beer was sold at all home games. Babcock notes, "In my two and a half years there, we didn't have any alcohol-related incidents, so it worked. It opened my eyes that it could be done in a responsible way." However, alcohol sales cannot help generate revenue, they can actually help to calm crazed fans. For many fans, a typical college game day starts at 8 a.m. and is an all-day affair. (I grew up on the University of Kentucky campus, what we lack in football skills, we make up for in bourbon.) The drinking is heavy, and games often don't begin until the afternoon, meaning that fans are very intoxicated by the time the festivities really begin. Tailgating can go too far, because fans know alcohol is not allowed within the stadium. When they know they can still buy alcohol at the game, fans drink less before the game. They can actually have breakfast, not Jell-O shots, in the early morning because they know there will not be cut off by game time. In West Virginia, the addition of beer sales during football games in 2011 actually led to less drunkenness overall. At SMU, during the trial period, they did not have any alcohol-related arrests. Selling alcohol at the games also helps promote the sport to more casual fans, who visit for fun, rather than as diehard fans or students. They can grab a cheap seat and a beer, much as they would at an NFL game. SMU athletic director Rick Hart "repeatedly heard the expectation from new or casual fans that a night on the town – whether to a sporting event, a play or something else – would include the opportunity to buy beer and wine." While this will certainly benefit SMU — less rowdy fans, more profits, new customers — the implementation was extremely detailed and serious. The sale of beer and wine was approved by the school's board, student affairs office, and student leaders. After that, a very careful alcohol sales program was created to prevent underage drinking. Students over 21 receive a wristband with three pull tabs on it. Non-students receive only one pull tab. Buy a beer, take off a tab. This limits binge drinking within the stadium. Right about now, Budweiser is at the edge of their seats, waiting to hop on the opportunity for advertising sales at College Game Day. But they might be waiting for quite a while, especially when it comes to the largest (and potentially most lucrative) conference: the SEC. Alabama athletics director told USA Today, "Primarily economics would drive it. The disadvantages are security and fan behavior and other things that go with that. And so it's a trade-off. It is done successfully in places throughout the country. We're in the Bible Belt; we may not be the first ones to do that. But certainly we would consider it. Whether we do it or not, I don't know." Of course, if the SEC never changes their prohibition, students should be getting a brand new way to sneak liquor into stadiums soon, in the form of Palcohol. Abstract This manuscript examines the issue of in-stadium alcohol sales for collegiate sporting events. In the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of Division I FBS football programs allowing alcohol sales in their stadiums. While it is currently not the norm (25% do allow it, 75% do not allow it), the number is increasing. And, others allow alcohol sales in premium seats as well other smaller venue sports (such as baseball and basketball). This manuscript examines: (1) the reasons collegiate athletic departments might consider allowing in-stadium alcohol sales, (2) the mitigating constraints that may cause them to not allow its availability, and (3) a look a current ‘best practices’ among institutions that currently allow in-stadium alcohol sales. Key words: in-stadium alcohol sales, beer sales, fan experience, tailgating. Introduction STATE U needed to renovate its on-campus baseball facility. To do so, STATE U was able to play its college baseball games at a nearby Minor League Baseball Stadium. While at the off-campus stadium, fans at the STATE U games were able to buy beer from stadium concessions. The availability of beer/wine sales at the stadium may have increased the appeal for some fans, particularly community members seeking a relaxing day at the ballpark. Now, as renovations are being completed, STATE U will be back on-campus. STATE U must now address two very important questions: Is STATE U interested in selling alcohol at its on-campus facility? Is STATE U able to sell alcohol at its on-campus facility? And, if beer sales were to be allowed at the baseball stadium, might STATE U consider expanding the program to, say, its football or basketball stadiums? The availability of alcoholic beverages at professional sporting events is a long-held tradition. However, there are a growing number of universities that are adding (or that are considering adding) alcohol to the concessions available in their Collegiate Sports Stadiums. For example, beer is sold at over 20 on-campus Division I Football stadiums, an increase from 10 such schools just 10 years ago (6). When we add in off-campus stadiums, the number increases to 32 institutions (37). This number constitutes 25% of the 128 FBS football programs. Many fans consume alcoholic beverages during their pre-game tailgate parties. Others enjoy drinks in the stadiums and arenas (some by sneaking alcohol into the stadiums). Until recently, West Virginia University (and others) allowed fans to leave their football stadiums at half-time and re-enter (often after having alcoholic beverages at their tailgate spots) in the third quarter (21). Colorado State University has been allowing in-stadium alcohol sales for over 35 years. With the neighboring Coors Brewery and a number of craft brewers, supporters argue the location in the “Napa Valley of Beer” would make it conspicuously absent to not allow beer sales at such sporting events. And, interestingly, beer sales amount to 55% of total concession revenue (19). The purpose of this manuscript is to examine the issue of alcohol sales at collegiate sporting events. First, a brief look at current practices with respect to in-stadium alcohol sales is provided. Second, the reasons schools are considering alcohol sales are discussed, along with the limitations to its possible introduction. Finally, a look at ‘Best Practices’ for enhancing the fan experience and the safeguards used to limit the problems associated with fan over-consumption of alcohol are examined. The Current State of Affairs: TABLE 1 Division 1 Basketball programs that currently serve beer. VENUE SCHOOL PNC ARENA NCSU CENTURY LINK CREIGHTON ALL STATE ARENA DEPAUL YUM CENTER LOUISVILLE HARRY A GAMPEL ARENA UCONN BMO HARRIS CENTER MARQUET TUCKER CENTER FSU WVU COLISEUM WEST VRGINIA UD ARENNA DAYTON SEFCU ARENA ALBANY TACO BELL ARENA BOISE STATE AGGANIS ARENA BOSTON UNIVERSITY CARVER ARENA BRADLEY WOLSTEIN CENTER CLEVELAND STATE FIFTH THIRD ARENA CINCINATI COORS EVENT CENTER COLORADO MAGNESS ARENA DENVER SAVE MART CENTER FRESNO STATE VERIZON CENTER GEORGETOWN HOFHEINZ PAVILION HOUSTON GENTILE CENTER LOYOLA PRUDENTIAL CENTER SETON HALL RALSTON ARENA UNO LAKFRONT ARENA NEW ORLEANS THE SUPER PIT NORTH TEXAS MOODY COLISEUM SMU TROJAN ARENA TROY STATE FRANK ERWIN CENTER TEXAS RHODES ARENA ARKON STROH CENTER BOWLING GREEN MEMORIAL CENTER KENT STATE SAVAGE ARENA TOLEDO HASKIN CENTER UTEP DEVLIN FIELDHOUSE TULANE LAWLOR ARENA NEVADA MACK CENTER UNLV MOBY ARENA COLORADO STATE LIACOURAS CENTER TEMPLE CINTAS CENTER XAVIER VIEJAS ARENA SDSU STAN SHERIFF ARENA HAWAII MATTHEW KNIGHT ARENA OREGON COLONIAL LIFE ARENA SOUTH CAROLINA CFE ARENA UCF SIOUX CENTER NORTH DAKOTA U Party at The Wopper!
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
I stopped reading after the 2nd paragraph.
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
Sorry. Didn't intend to make your heads explode.
Thought i was just copying the venues that sold beer. Party at The Wopper!
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
Major winter storm forecast for Saturday from DC NORTH.
Party at The Wopper!
Re: 1/23 @ Temple
Philly is supposed to get a foot of snow Saturday.
 SMU-12 NCAA appearances, 1 Final Four
2014-15 & 2016-17 AAC Men's Basketball Champs
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