Texas Longhorns fans can either toast their football team or drown their sorrows during home games this fall, as beer and wine sales have been approved for the 2015 season at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium.
Both athletic director Steve Patterson and new university president Gregory Fenves had endorsed the idea in recent months.Football games are the latest Texas attractions to feature beer sales. The University of Texas allowed the practice at basketball, baseball and softball games during 2014.
“Fan safety and enjoyment remains our number one priority as we work through the process of expanding beer and wine sales into all seating areas of the stadium,” said Patterson in a statement issued by the university. “During our extensive pilot, we found fans and staff handled the situation responsibly and we had no negative issues or situations. We will continue to monitor the service closely.”
Texas Athletics, UT Police, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and licensed vendor Sodexo Sports and Leisure were consulted on the measure, according to UT.
In a story by Barry Horn in 2013, a dicussion between UT athletic director DeLoss Dodds and West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck intrigued the Longhorns’ boss. The Mountaineers were impressed with the revenue and the atmosphere of home games following the decision to sell alcohol at events.
The bottom line: Alcohol sales at West Virginia in 2011, its final season in the Big East, generated $520,000 in revenues. That may seem like a drop in the bucket at a school like Texas, but consider that the Longhorns’ stadium accommodates 100,000 spectators, 40,000 more than West Virginia’s.
According to Dodds, Luck told him anecdotal evidence showed that beer sales provide a safer environment than before, when spectators were allowed to shuttle in and out of the stadium, presumably allowing school spirit to be liquidly enhanced in the parking lot.
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