This has been a hot topic on the airwaves the past couple of weeks. As a result of the conference meetings this week in Destin, FL, the SEC has lifted the ban, and will allow schools to decide if they want to sell alcohol or not.
For the first time in league history, the SEC is going to allow schools to decide if they want to sell alcohol in its stadiums. The rule goes into effect on Aug. 1.
Following this ruling, alcohol sales may not be coming to every SEC stadium, but several schools have already taken steps to sell for the coming season and now will be given the opportunity to do just that. LSU, Georgia and Tennessee are among the schools expected to allow alcohol sales next season.
What are your thoughts? Specifically related to Virignia Tech, do you think we should sell beer and wine at the stadium?
That very question was posted to the survey of Hokie Club members about the stadium experience - interested to hear TKP's take.
Comments
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I think we should only sell Wild Turkey at games.
Nope nope nope... Alcohol is fine but I am a NO on Wild Turkey.... it brings back horrible memories of my childhood and avocado green Tupperware.... (had bronchitis a lot as a kid mom used to make me homemade cough medicine with Wild Turkey, honey, brown sugar, and lemon)
It's called a hotty totty. My friends dad used to make them for himself when he was getting sick (he's an actual doctor). Though I highly doubt he used wild Turkey
Yeah. My mom did it all the time for me when I was a kid 30-something years ago... Starting when I was really little.. The first time I had been coughing so long and hard, that I (and therefore my parents) had not slept for days. My dad went to buy the bourbon and saw the first brand he recognized--- Wild Turkey--- and grabbed the bottle. He thought it was like 80 proof.... Nope- it was 101. Needless to say, I slept that night as I was basically passed out drunk. I thought that stuff was the absolute worst. My mom always made it in the flat avocado green Tupperware bowl .
Um, wild Turkey was the first brand he recognized? Where was Beam not the main bourbon in the store?
Fun fact: Buffalo Trace was not shut down during prohibition because they sold bourbon for hotty totties. So you might want to use them.
I don't know. I was a toddler! That's how the story was always relayed. It could have been the first bottle he saw after being sleep deprived.
That's a fair point.
Look out, now there might be drunk fans at SEC football games.
I've sat in the North, South, East, and West stands and I've yet to never see a person funnel an airplane bottle in their coke. So yes this would be great for Tech, but I would put it on the SE and SW concourses to dissuade students from getting more drunk than they already are.
Students are going to drink as hard as they would anyway, and would likely continue to sneak in airplane bottles or leave at halftime to go hit the bars the same way they do, as opposed to buying $7+ beers.
The school should just do it and capture the additional revenue. I've never been to a bowl game, UMD basketball game, or any other college event where alcohol was served and felt 'oh man people are way more drunk because they have the ability to buy a beer at the concession stand.'
This is going to happen at all stadiums before long. Nobody is going to forgo the money that brings. It may happen slowly but it will happen. Whit already had the trial run at the baseball stadium.
Which was a complete accident. It was only supposed to be for the Club seats on the first base line. Somehow the approval by BOV said it was for the whole stadium.
Has any one cross checked any BOV with ties to the alcohol industry?
This is the first I have heard of this... So they sold alcohol at baseball games this year? Beer and wine only? Types/price?
Beer and wine. It was not typical expensive sports game prices but it was not Blacksburg prices either. I think something like $5 for a beer or wine.
I haven't really followed the story but I did see Tim Cowlishaw on Around The Horn talk about Georgia selling alcohol during his facetime segment this past week. If his details were right, I'd pass on this during the game. First off, you had to reach a certain donor level to even access the drinking areas (thousands of dollars level donor). Then you can only drink in that contained area and that area has no view of the actual game.
It's cheaper and easier just to pack a little bourbon in your pocket. That's part of the college football experience. Who wants to wait in a long beer line and pay $8.00 for a can of Bud? We don't need it!
I don't disagree, butttt our program needs money and I'm not going to stop anyone (especially visiting fans) from giving our program money.
I don't know why it's not available. Everyone is drunk anyway. Everyone brings their booze in anyway. It's a lot of money that could be put towards the program.
Being at work and reading this made me think the Securites and Exchange Commission lifted the ban and I was quite confused.
That being said, no real difference in atmosphere I would imagine, just more money for the schools
This all depends on how its handled. In general i like the idea for many reasons, but primarily because the side effect could be that we (and other stadiums that implement) will not have the massive intoxication levels of fans entering the games for the sole reason that they know they can keep their slight buzz going inside the stadium, and dont have to get all their drinking done at once. I also think that the sales need to be limited to beer and wine, and leave the liquor out of it.... Unless the liquor is so absurdly expensive it is financially prohibitive to get smashed on it (e.g., $20 a cocktail).
For us this could also be a nice way to get a student-run brewery going and start getting some Hokiebräu brewed and served. Other brew names that need to be considered:
- Go For 2 DIPA
- 25 (Golden Lager)
- R.U.T.S. (session)
- Pass the salt, Pat (Mexican Lager)
This is a fantastic idea. It's very similar to how the Dairy Club sells milkshakes at the game that are made with the milk from the cows at the University farm. This would be very relevant since Virginia Tech is well known for it's brewing and lab work surrounding brewing.
I don't think the milkshakes the VT Dairy Club sells include milk produced by the VT Dairy Science herd; I think it is an apropos fundraiser.
Really? Bubble popped. I'm pretty sure they used to be, but I could very well be mistaken. Damn fine shake, though.
Edit: Google says...you're right. Oh well, another illusion shattered.
Duck Pond Swill Lite
But, Pawwwwllllll. He ain't drank nothing.
If you thought Phyllis was incoherent before
Rails served at football games. What could go wrong?
This would be FlippinHokie's and LancerHokie's dream come true.
It might be a dream for Flippin, but that would be a nightmare for me. Why on God's green Earth would you think that I would be excited about rails in Lane Stadium?!! I am NEVER having another rail EVER!!!
A rail would be worth like $50 on a stadium curve.
Based on available information out there selling alcohol doesn't net a ton of money for schools, at least at first. Cost are fairly high to get off the ground plus extra law enforcement cost.
Schools, every professional team, and every concert venue wouldn't do it if they didn't make money.
Some of it is to actually get people IN the stands. See free WiFi.
WiFi won't happen at Lane unless there had been a big change in attitude. #sauces
WVU made about 3 million in 5 years. Yes they make money, but it's not enough money to offset potential issues if run poorly. About 600,000 a year made isn't massive program changing money.
For me alcohol sales should occur if it helps change a culture of excessive drinking before and during games especially halftime.
That's like 6-8 new support staff salaries. We can't afford to leave money on the table
Do you not see the hypocrisy in constantly beating the Hokie Club drum, telling everyone on here that we don't donate enough, that we don't have enough money, that we can never compete with the big boys with our budget, and then saying we should not sell alcohol because it would only result in an additional $3M over the next 5 years?
No because there isn't one. There is no down side to donating to a scholarship fund. There is plenty of potential downside to alcohol sales. This isn't something you rush into. Additional alcohol inspectors would be needed at every game and an increased security and law enforcement presence would be needed. Those are a things requiring money. Not to mention startup cost to just get permits and infrastructure in place to have sales.
If those questions can be answered then yes sales and potential revenue is a great thing. I think your under the impression I'm against sales, I'm not. I'm against a rush to the sales without proper planning AND expectations.
Obviously we wouldn't do it if we didn't think it would be profitable. In your WVU example, you talked about another school doing it profitably. But you still weren't on board with the additional revenue from alcohol sales unless it "helps change a culture of excessive drinking."
You've made it very clear that you don't want alcohol sold in the stadium. I don't think you care about the financial impact, whether that financial impact be positive or negative. It's a moral issue for you.
In what way? I drink I have no issue with others who drink. What I take issue with is excessive drinking that results in injuries, deaths or conduct that changes fans viewing experience of the game.
Allowing the sale of alcohol at games does not mean we would subsequently allow fans to drink as much alcohol as they want and act belligerent. Public intoxication is still a thing. Nobody is suggesting we change the law.
The fact that you are openly saying you wouldn't support profitable alcohol sales unless helps change a culture of excessive drinking is proof that this is a moral issue for you.
No it's called reality. Binge drinking a not only a major issue in society at large as evidenced by medical studies but is a major issue in law enforcement especially at events. This a verifiable fact. It's also one of the main driving forces behind these sales of alcohol at college football stadiums. Curbing the binge drinking prior to the game and at halftime of stadiums that allow reentry.
When did I ever say binge drinking is not an issue? I can't even tell which side you're arguing for at this point. Selling alcohol in the stadium would reduce binge drinking before the game. Isn't that what you want?
Right here where you claimed being against excessive drinking is a moral issue. It's not it's a health and safety issue.
Could you possibly be more misleading? I never claimed anything of the sort. We were discussing the potential financial benefits of selling alcohol at games. I never said anything that could even be misconstrued as "claiming being against excessive drinking is a moral issue."
In fact, I literally said we would not allow fans to drink as much alcohol as they want and act belligerent.
You intentionally quoted a small portion of my comment because if you used the entire sentence, you wouldn't have been able to blatantly misquote what I said.
You started off arguing against alcohol sales under the guise of financial reasons, but it's apparent that the reason you're against alcohol sales has nothing to do with money. Now you've moved the goalposts so much that you're trying to convince me that binge drinking is unhealthy. I have yet to see anyone disagree with that, but I'm sure you'll find a way to fabricate a quote.
Apparent in what way? Because I don't jump straight to fuck yes start selling alcohol? In any of my statements have I given the impression I have a moral issue with alcohol sales anywhere to anyone of legal age? I consume alcohol I've consumed decent amounts at tailgates in Lot 18 with people on this board, it's not a moral issue.
I think they need to figure out how to speed up the concession lines first before introducing alcohol. It should not take 20 minutes to get a pizza. Some type of mobile ordering should be used to speed up transactions.
EDIT: on second thought I want to order a pizza and beer on my phone so these are not mutually exclusive
Updating POS systems and having 'Card Only' lines would help speed things up. There is also a neat app that we use at certain concert venues that allows you to 'open a tab' - you just have to show the bartender/cashier your tab number from phone and then you can close out at the end of your night from your phone, rather than the bar. Something like that could work.
Drone delivery
Doing concession sales like the pizza portal at Little Caeser's would be awesome!
I'm one of those types who will forgo concessions because I don't want to miss any football action, or the marching band. I also have an iron bladder, so I pee before the game, grab my concessions, and then pee again after the game. It drives my wife nuts because I like to be in the stadium an hour before kickoff to stand in line for all that.
They started selling alcohol at Marshall football games last fall, and I think it would be very beneficial for Tech to do the same.
A) fans, namely students, stay at the games longer. The pocket liquor doesn't necessarily last an entire game.
B) more revenue for the athletic department.
C) better fan experience which is ultimately what it's all about.
This.
It's well known that game attendance has been trending down in recent years across the board. When universities have to compete with fans being able to watch the game, in super high definition, in their own home- where people typically have AC, the beer/drinks they want to drink, the food they want to eat, and the people they want to be around - it is getting tougher to convince people to spend several hundred (if not a thousand or more) and their entire weekend 6-7 times per fall at their stadiums. This is all part of the shift for - not just sporting events - things to be an experience rather than an event.
This is the SEC admitting that we have and attendance problem the future numbers don't look good.
Noticed lots of empty seats at USC, Fla LSU and even a few at Bama last year. Actual attendance is down and accelerating. This is and attempt to keep revenues up. At $7-$10 dollars a beer have at it . This attempt will fail
to bring back people who have decided that the cost time and energy are just not worth it to tie up a whole
day . Spending 40-50 dollars for 5 or so beers and standing in lines are your thing go for it . Also concert area in my area does not let you buy more than 1 beer so you have to go twice or you and you partner both have to go
to get 2 drinks stand in line ect . That was my last time when they did that . Amazing how they just keep screwing their selves. Don't get me wrong I am ok with selling drinks at games but a draft beer probably 25 cents worth
They want 30 times the cost .
I don't know how this isn't a no brainer for VT.... adults who would drink the beer already do it at professional sporting events. I don't know how it is any different at college events.
But the students will get too drunk!!!!..... Look, they are already drinking excessively in pre games/tailgates and sneaking in alcohol via airplane bottles and plastic flasks. Sure the students who are 21+ will buy and probably buy their friends who are underage... To help prohibit that, I would price it at a high enough price (like $7/beer ??) where the average student couldn't afford to buy multiple beers. Then put in a stricter policy for drunk in public and underage possession at Lane so if they do get caught or go overboard on the drinking, so hopefully they learn their lesson.
Nothing will be a perfect lesson because college.... it is what it is... A lot of students are going to drink excessively at college football games no matter what.
We already sell it at the VT baseball games and from what I've seen when going there, it's been a good thing. Every time I've gone, I've gotten 2-3 beers except the last game of the season against UVA where they ran out of beer so I only had one :(
Not sure how the concessions were handled at other places, however VTs concessions were worked by a lot of student organizations. The organizations used this to make money to runs said organizations. If you sell alcohol, how is that affected? I would assume that the alcohol lines would be separate, but their are a lot of details like this that could cause this to go south.
I dont see how this would curb any binge drinking. It might cut the amount of air plane bottles to be cleaned up after the game. But if any of the games at pro stadiums (or bowl games) are an indicator, binge drinking will happen and then everyone will have a beer in hand for spilling on people during the game. In addition, the under 21 crowd will still binge before the game even if the older crowd stopped it (they won't).
VT already sells alcohol in Lane Stadium and has been doing it for years.. Expanding it shouldn't be too hard. This seems like a no brainer for me.
In the South Endzone and Club Concourses only though, right?
Yes, it's limited. But the initial permits are already in place. I would assume they only need to be expanded to include other parts of the stadium. I realize it's not a super simple process, but we've proven that alcohol in Lane is a good thing since 2015.