Recently the conference announced it will allow teams to sell alcohol in SEC stadiums during athletic events in time for football season this fall. Some teams will take advantage of this (LSU: obviously), while some are not interested (Alabama: where fun goes to die). The SEC is the only conference with rules regulating alcohol sales. For every other conference, the schools decide what liquids go down their fans’ throats.
As an expert on football watching and alcohol consumption, I feel like I’m well qualified to regulate some of the rules and point out the effects of alcohol at sporting events this fall.
Beer only
Allowing liquor is just bad news all around. Too many dumb fans will do so many dumb things and they won’t even remember the college football experience, which is undeniably the greatest experience known to man. Cannot have that. No liquor.
I have a strong stance against wine because it’s disgusting, and everything wine stands for is just not for me. Drink all the wine you’d like, but I swear to God if I see anybody drinking wine during a football viewing experience - I don’t know, but that’s a real issue.
If you drink wine while watching a football game, you’re going to need to look back and question everything you’ve ever done in your entire life. Figure out where things went wrong, get back to me, and crack open an ice cold Bud Light.
If people are willing to pay $10 for a beer, they should be allowed to do it no matter the circumstance, aside from driving. Nothing like football beers. Make it happen.
Less poor behavior
Like a lot of things, legalizing makes it safer.
How often do you see a quick chug or a shot or two prior to the walk to the stadium when the tailgate is wrapping up? They know the alcohol intake must commence for 3-4 hours during the game. People will drink less especially when they realize how much beer costs in the stadium.
West Virginia - yes, the wild, couch-burning West Virginia - started selling beer (and wine, unfortunately) and saw a significant decline in alcohol-related incidents.
The lesson here? Beer makes everybody happier and safer. Okay, that might not be the best lesson.
Fans may show up
College football attendance continues to go down. People are getting lazier, and televisions are getting better. Allowing alcohol sales could only help getting fans into the stadium.
If not, it would at least help students get into stadium closer to kickoff. I’m a Wisconsin fan. During Badger games, if the student section ever fills up, it’s not until midway through the second quarter. Then, hundreds head for the exits following “Jump Around” at the end of the third quarter.
Students and fans no longer would have to hide flasks or other methods of trickery when we have the option to purchase at the stadium. We shouldn’t have to sneak in something that is legal nationwide.
No mid-game hangover
After hours of consuming beverages with the fellas during the tailgate, that late-second quarter headache rolls in an can be a real bummer. Tossing back a few beverages during the game will delay the brain-pounding pain at least for a little while. You’re delaying the inevitable, but it’s worth it to keep the day rolling.
After the game, you’ll be headache-free as you head out on the town to celebrate the big win or drink the loss away. We all have our different strategies.
Cash
Schools will obviously be making some good money with this. Just think how much an increase in pay incoming athletes can receive now with an additional revenue streams coming in. The biggest winner of allowing alcohol sales in the SEC just might be LSU basketball recruits.
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