Four SEC schools not expecting to sell alcohol stadium-wide
Source: https://247sports.com/
By BRAD CRAWFORD
June 5, 2019
The SEC has lifted its ban on alcohol with restrictions beginning Aug. 1, but nearly a quarter of the league isn’t expected to alter its current stance on beer availability.
Those in power at Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Mississippi State have all said publicly they’ll stick to their guns when it comes to alcohol sales during football games.
“This new policy allows each campus to decide what is right for them,” the University of Alabama’s general statement reads. “These guidelines will be helpful as we move forward and have future conversations. We have one of the best game-day atmospheres in the country, and we don’t envision making changes at this time.”
Auburn president Steven Leath told Auburn Undercover on Friday the university will not sell beer or wine in general-seating areas or concourses in 2019.
“I would expect no changes this season, and there will be a thoughtful process before we make any decisions,” Leath said. “Sometime in the future (we’ll discuss it), and it would have to be an inclusive process where we engage the board (of trustees), fans, stakeholders.”
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Mississippi State president Mark Keenum said his university had no intentions of selling alcohol at games this season.
The University of Georgia, which has enacted a new policy on limited alcohol sales to patrons based on donor level, isn’t expected to opt in either, but is taking the wait and see approach. Only those who’ve contributed $100,000 over five years will be allowed to purchase and it’ll be in a specific area where the field of play isn’t even visible.
Per Dawgs247 analyst Jake Rowe, UGA President Jere Morehead expressed concern over long concession lines and the time it would take to check identification and confirm that each purchaser is at least 21 years of age.
Under the SEC’s revised policy, which was the primary topic of discussion at the league’s spring meetings in Destin, Fla., each institution in the conference now has the autonomy to determine the permissibility of selling alcoholic beverages in its athletics venues, subject to certain Conference-wide alcohol management expectations.
“Our policy governing alcohol sales has been a source of considerable discussion and respectful debate among our member universities in recent years,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in a release. “As a conference, we have been observant of trends in the sale and consumption of alcohol at collegiate sporting events and have drawn upon the experiences and insights of our member schools which have responsibly established limited alcohol sales within controlled spaces and premium seating areas.
“We remain the only conference to set forth league-wide standards for the responsible management of the sale of alcoholic beverages.”
Despite evidence suggesting an economic boom and lessened alcohol-related injuries due to decreased binging outside of the stadium prior to kickoff, beer and wine sales remain a touchy subject within some athletic departments within the SEC.