Beer, wine at football games

[LamarCheeks]

This should be interesting! For the most part, this team makes me want to drink anyway, so why not! 

IU Athletics to Pilot Beer and Wine Sales at Football Games This Fall

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Fans over 21 attending football games at Memorial Stadium this fall will be able to enjoy beer and wine to enhance the IU Football gameday experience.

Pursuant to a pilot program recommended by the consulting firm Wasserman and consistent with the University's Service of Alcohol Policy, beer and wine will be available for purchase by all football game attendees over 21 through a third-party vendor to be selected through the University procurement process.

"Our main goals with this initiative are to enhance the gameday experience for our fans and reduce alcohol-related incidents in and around the stadium," said IU Vice President and Director of Athletics Fred Glass. "While there will be some comparatively modest revenue generated by these sales, that is not the primary purpose of this program. Ten percent of our net beer and wine public sales revenues will be given to campus for alcohol safety programming."

In considering this move, Indiana University Athletics commissioned Wasserman to study the desirability of introducing beer and wine sales at its home football games. In examining the more than 50 other schools that sell alcohol to the general public at their stadiums, the study found that its introduction resulted in improved game-day experience and attendance (with overall attendance at sporting events on the decline nationally, the introduction of alcohol sales has reversed that trend at numerous schools); and a reduction in alcohol-related incidents and safety issues in the stadium (as an example, Ohio State University reported a 65 percent drop in alcohol-related incidents the first year it served alcohol to the general public, while West Virginia reported a 35 percent decline).

As part of the pilot program and to help ensure responsible behavior from fans, IU's vendor will be required to ensure beer and wine purchasers have their identification checked, maintain a two-drink limit during each individual purchase, and cease sales at the end of the third quarter. IU Athletics will also work closely with IU's Superintendent of Public Safety, who has also endorsed the pilot program, to ensure a safe environment at Memorial Stadium.

IU Athletics is establishing a task force to oversee the service of beer and wine this fall at Memorial Stadium which will address outstanding issues such as: appropriately consulting University procurement officials on drafting the RFP and selecting the vendor; determining where to direct the campus share for alcohol safety programming; evaluating the test pilot program and recommending whether it be continued and/or adjusted; whether to expand the program to other venues; and the like. The members of the task force will be: Vice Provost and Dean of Students Dave O'Guinn; Associate Vice President and Superintendent for Public Safety Ben Hunter; Associate General Counsel James Nussbaum; and Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration and External Relations Stephen Harper.

With the adoption of the pilot program, Indiana joins a rapidly growing list of schools around the state and country publicly serving alcohol at sporting events. Five schools do so in the Big Ten: Purdue, Ohio State, Illinois, Minnesota and Maryland. Butler serves beer in Hinkle Fieldhouse. In addition, on campus, the IU Auditorium serves alcohol at its events.

[ThompsonHoosier]

It was only a matter of time! Hopefully this will help reduce the number of fans leaving the game at half time.

[Capt. Crimson]

9 minutes ago, ThompsonHoosier said:

It was only a matter of time! Hopefully this will help reduce the number of fans leaving the game at half time.

Graduated in 2012 and its crazy how much they've changed the rules around there. Actually have to leave the tailgating fields when the game starts now. haha

[CSP]

2 hours ago, Capt. Crimson said:

Graduated in 2012 and its crazy how much they've changed the rules around there. Actually have to leave the tailgating fields when the game starts now. haha

Since when?

[mdn82]

That is a lot of word salad to announce selling adult beverages at home football games. IU’s administration makes it so damn hard to make even incremental changes. Why do you need an outside consultant and a freakin task force to oversee this?

Before we dive too far into your complaint were you just wanting something to complain about? If not look into the processes for a state funded university getting ready to go to rfp. It isn’t just things like this that are a pain when dealing with state guidelines for rfp.

 

 

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[Old Friend]

This line made me laugh :   "Fans over 21 attending football games at Memorial Stadium this fall will be able to enjoy beer and wine to enhance the IU Football gameday experience."

So....okay, let's pretend for a minute there's NOT an abundance of alcohol available for anyone who looks like they can carry a red solo cup within 200 yards of Memorial Stadium every Saturday....Let's also pretend there are NOT more people outside the stadium drinking than there are inside watching the game.   Does Indiana University REALLY believe if they serve alcohol, there will be a drastic decrease in alcohol related incidents AROUND football games?   The ratio (counting people 18 and older) of alcoholic beverages consumed on game day to actual people in the stands is probably close to 10:1.  Seriously.  I bet that's not far off considering the number of people who stay outside.     At Ohio State, most people there GO to the games, so that 65% reduction number is meaningless in Bloomington.   It just makes me laugh when they sell this stuff as an "enhanced game day experience" because other people are doing it.   

Personally, I don't care one bit; but the marketing spin based on IU's football game day reality is funny to me.

[mamasa]

I hope that they can have a decent representation of the outstanding local/regional beer represented (as well as the standard fare).  It'd be nice to have "Indiana booths" there where they have a good sampling (Upland, Function, Quaff On!, Switchyard, etc.).  And, they could do the "poor college kids" booth with Hamms, Old Milwaukee, Schaefer, Natty Ice, etc... lol

[johnsoniu]

Will they sell Zima? Asking for a friend.



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[Naturalhoosier]

On 5/3/2019 at 8:38 PM, johnsoniu said:

Will they sell Zima? Asking for a friend.



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Following...for a friend...