Some colleges will begin to sell beer and wine in their on-campus stadiums to boost revenue.
Right now, UT will NOT sell alcohol in Neyland Stadium.
West Virginia implemented beer sales at football games in 2011, generating upward of $500,000 in new revenue while seeing fewer incidents of rowdy fan behavior related to binge-drinking outside the stadium. Minnesota sold beer and wine at TCF Bank Stadium as part of a two-year pilot program beginning in 2012 and reported a $181,678 profit last season.
Although this may be boosting sales revenue for University athletic departments, it also is an issue for underage drinking.
At SMU, Southern Methodist University, if a 21-or-older student enters the venue, they get a wristband with three pull-tabs, and one is torn off for each beer they buy. Non-students are limited to one beverage per ID, per trip to the concession stand.
Even with limiting the drinks per band, students and adults that attend these games could potentially give the alcohol to minors. Universities will need to hire more security for each section to keep an eye on this problem.
To see more information on this topic, head over to WBIR for the full story.