Ok guys, I know that this has nothing to do with the Vikings - my usual football team of choice. But I have to say that I can't neglect to post something interesting when it happens to come along about my alma mater - the Golden Gophers. After some serious battles over the past few years when it comes to alcohol sales at the new TCF Bank Stadium, there was a bill passed in the Minnesota legislature over the winter that would allow the school to sell alcohol at the stadium. And the school has finally agreed to allow sales at the stadium starting this year. They have made it very widely known, however, that there will only be liquor sales at two concessions counters on the West end of the stadium - the area furthest away from the student section.
You may be wondering - if the school has been SO opposed to allowing alcohol sales for the last several years, what's prompting them to all of a sudden go along with it? My guess is that this is a two fold answer:
1. The school has been receiving a lot of public backlash for not letting alumni have a beer while they watch a game. You have to remember that the majority of football fans - at least in this part of the country - are alcohol drinkers. And they don't want to be told by the school that while they are paying for their ticket, they can't choose whether or not they are going to have a beer at the game. The school is going to choose for them.
2. The U of M needs money. And without raising event ticket prices, there's one big way that they can easily raise money: by selling booze. They'll obviously over charge for it like every other venue does - $7 a beer makes them a TON of money in the long run over the course of a season. Hell, it will also encourage more acts to perform there.
My opinion: I think it's TIME that the U of M decides to let the fans choose their beverage of choice. It's a good financial decision and a good public image decision for the school. And it makes me super excited to get my Gopher football tickets this year!
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