I'm against selling alcohol at college football games because I think it would be detrimental to the experience of a lot of fans. Bad behavior of drunk fans is a major reason that we don't go to Bucs games.
I wouldn't mind selling beer at basketball games because I don't think bad behavior would be as much of a problem. The game is shorter, you don't have extended tailgating/drinking before the game and fans are just less rowdy in general. However, I suppose you wouldn't be able to do it for basketball without doing it for football. Helen On Sun, Jul 3, 2011 at 8:30 AM, Jerry Belloit <[email protected]> wrote: > I am not sure this is a good idea. My wife and I quit going to the > Florida-Georgia game even though I had season tickets because of all of the > drunkenness that went on at that game. The vulgar language, spilled drinks, > and fighting were just too much. I can only imagine that selling beer would > make it worse.**** > > ** ** > > That being said, it is just a shame that the actions of a few can ruin > things for the majority. While I personally do not drink, last year at the > Ohio game (at my first game in 20 years) I will admit that a cool beer would > have been refreshing in that heat!**** > > ** ** > > Jerry**** > > ** ** > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] *On > Behalf Of *Woody Bass > *Sent:* Sunday, July 03, 2011 7:58 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* [gatornews] CFN.com: Point/Counter: Should Beer Be Sold At > Games?**** > > ** ** > > Point/Counter: Should Beer Be Sold At Games? **** > > **** > > *By Staff***** > > CollegeFootballNews.com > Posted Jul 2, 2011**** > > ** ** > > | More <http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=scout> **** > > > *West Virginia is choosing to start selling beer at games, is this a good > idea or a bad one? Jacob Thorpe and Mike Vernon discuss both sides.***** > > ** ** > > *Point/Counterpoint** > > Should Beer Be Sold At Games?* > > - *Follow us ... *http://twitter.com/ColFootballNews > > Jacob Thorpe <[email protected]> – *Bad Idea* > *Follow me on Twitter: @jacobt1991 <http://www.twitter.com/jacobt1991>* > > The administrators at West Virginia University are certainly taking steps > to ensure that their decision to sell beer during football and basketball > games goes off without a hitch. Patrons can only buy two beers at a time, > all must present a valid ID and there will be increased security. To limit > the number of fans driving home drunk, the school will stop selling beer > during the third quarter. > > Yep, it seems like the Mountaineer administration has got all of its bases > covered. > > But aren't all of these steps a tacit admission that selling beer will > cause an awful lot of problems? Increased security means the school expects > more unruly fans, and expects to be throwing more people out games. This > from a school whose fans made the papers last year for throwing objects on > the court at a basketball game giving a Pittsburgh assistant -- as well as > the school’s public image -- a black eye. > > Stopping sales in the third quarter is a nice touch, but it’s not going to > be enough time to let the thirstier fans sober up. The roads away from the > stadium after a football game are already full of semi-lost drivers trying > uncomfortably to find their way back to the freeway. Adding a bunch of drunk > drivers will just be throwing a match on the powder keg. > > There will be more accidents, injuries and even deaths, guaranteed. Is the > extra revenue really worth it? The fact is that in the United States we are > fortunate enough to have both college and professional sports. The pros > allow a place where people can go watch adults play the game, and get > hammered while they do it. College athletics has always been about a more > family-friendly atmosphere. The athletes are still kids, and it’s fun for > parents to bring their children to their alma maters and root for the home > team. > > Both are fun in their own, unique way. There’s no reason to try and merge > the two. If even one person loses their life because of this decision, it > obviously won't be worth it. > > Mike Vernon <[email protected]> – *Good Idea* > *Follow me on Twitter: @m_vernon <http://www.twitter.com/m_vernon>* > > Whether you like it or not, college football has become of a world of haves > and have-nots. Schools like Texas and Alabama have everything they need to > compete for their conference title and the national title year after year. > Other schools, stuck in the middle of the pack, are left struggling to win > games and get fans in the seats on a consistent basis. There are many > factors that cause the rift between the top and the middle, prestige, > coaching, scouting, quality of players, and more. > > In the end, unfortunately, it ends up all boiling down to one major issue, > one major difference between the few top dogs and the many dogs struggling > to get their one bone — money. > > There is one option they do have that can help. It doesn’t end with this > change, but it’s, at the very least, a start. They let beer be sold at their > games. > > Even though some people would like to think otherwise, beer has become a > major part of college football games for college students. Often times, > students will choose to stay at their beer-soaked tailgate rather than go to > the game itself. Even more likely, students will leave games at halftime to > go continue their pre-game drinking — not exactly conducive fan behavior for > building a big time college football program. In Morgantown, WV., they’re > far ahead of the curve. One of the more fortunate programs in college > football, West Virginia, recently passed an amendment to proposition 18 — > allowing beer to be sold in their stadium. > > The change to the policy come with plenty of rules, no beer can be sold in > the student sections, a valid I.D. is required, and only two beers can be > purchased at a time. Instead of sitting back and doing nothing, West > Virginia is trying to be proactive. A supporter of the amendment, the WVU > Police Chief believes selling beer in the stadium will help eliminate binge > drinking. The reasoning behind his support: students often binge drink > before games, knowing they won’t be able to drink in the stadium. > > They’ve accepted that the students will drink and they’re trying to do > something about controlling the amount they drink. Along with hoping this > will help student safety, the plan is awful lucrative. Athletic Director > Oliver Luck expects the new rules to bring in an added $500,000 to $1.2 > million — and that’s for a school that already sells out its games. > > Imagine the dollars that a similar change at a school with lesser fan > support could bring in. More money means better facilities, recruiting > opportunities, and fan amenities, which could in-turn, bring even more fans > to the games. A louder, rowdier stadium will only help teams win games, > helping the stadiums remain full. In the end, an array of different aspects > of the game can turn a college football program from a hungry dog, to an > award winning one. > > It’s only a start, a potential spark perhaps, but selling alcohol at > college football games is a way to commence turning things around at > programs that need it most. **** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions > 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions > 2008 National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us**** > > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions > 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions > 2008 National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us > -- Helen Huntley (727) 823-3801 www.helenhuntley.com -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
