Topic: Limited beer sales approved at Joan....

[goherd73]

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall University Board of Governors approved the expansion of beer sales into the chairback sections on the west side of Joan C. Edwards Stadium in a Tuesday afternoon meeting. The measure had also been approved by the Big Green Scholarship Foundation Board.

Beer will now be available in sections 108, 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118.

Since 2005, beer had only been sold in the stadium’s Big Green Room and could not be taken outside. Moving forward, Big Green Room purchases will continue and cans of 16-ounce beer may also be purchased from servers in those sections.

Athletics will increase security measures in those sections this seasons and Sodexo, the University’s concessions vendor, will provide appropriate training to its staff members.

“Before moving forward with additional selling points, we felt this trial run, of sorts, was necessary,” said Marshall Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick. “This is a growing trend in college athletics and this approach has been used recently at other schools, including Ohio State, Penn State and Pittsburgh.”

Marshall will open the season at home against Morgan State on Sept. 1

[The E-Man]

Why not beer sales for the whole stadium? this doesn't make sense to me..

[Huffnagel]

Why not beer sales for the whole stadium? this doesn't make sense to me..

Probably a trial run to see how it will go. Sometimes it better to proceed with caution than jump in all the way. I think it's a good move

[goherd24]

Leave it to Marshall administration to half ass it. Get 20% of the revenue and 100% of the whining.

[gochneaur645]

It's been proven to work at every stadium in the country that's tried it, even in Morgantown. Silly not to make it stadium-wide.

[banker]

It's almost like there was some poster, forget who, that said this is what they would do and how they would end up pissing off a bunch of people.

[2xBison]

People get mad too easy. 

[pdunn]

.....mmmmm.....beer.......

[The E-Man]

People get mad too easy.

I'm not mad, I'm curious as to why do something half ass? Why didn't they try selling beer in the end zone or east stands? Half of the chair back seats are empty after halftime anyway. Most make an exit to get beer in the stadium parking lot and never return to the  game. I should know, I have chair back season ticket passes.

[Buffalo Bop]

MU expands alcohol-friendly sections at football stadium

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/mu-expands-alcohol-friendly-sections-at-football-stadium/article_4d6b2c23-d936-5205-956a-eb44da055f0a.html

Lots of good info in this article.

[MUther]

I'm not mad, I'm curious as to why do something half ass? Why didn't they try selling beer in the end zone or east stands? Half of the chair back seats are empty after halftime anyway. Most make an exit to get beer in the stadium parking lot and never return to the  game. I should know, I have chair back season ticket passes.

Sound like a good reason to try it there and see if it keeps some of those people in their seats, if it's that noticeable an exodus at halftime.  I agree they could just do it all at once, everywhere, but if they're gonna insist on a trial run, do it where it would have the most impact.  And the chairback fans probably have a bit more money to spend on luxury beers.  At least anyone can buy chairbacks, now.  Maybe they expect this to push a few people into spending more to sit there for the privilege.  We may not agree with their decisions, but these are not stupid people.

[Herdmeister]

Probably a trial run to see how it will go. Sometimes it better to proceed with caution than jump in all the way. I think it's a good move

Exactly right. Other schools have done it the same way...

[MarshallSteve]

Good move by MU in my opinion. I totally agree with how they are rolling it out.

[Buffalo Bop]

Hamrick admitted he'd been hesitant to expand alcohol sales in the stadium any sooner because the stadium isn't completely suited to withstand the human ramifications of alcohol sales - specifically narrow concourse areas and a shortage of restrooms.


"In other words, when 8,000 seats were added in the end zone several years ago, there were no additional restrooms added, and our concourses are so narrow right now that they aren't adequate enough for us to sell beer without creating total chaos in the concourse," Hamrick said.


There are plans in place to address those needs, Hamrick said, but they were contingent on the financial success of alcohol sales.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/mu-expands-alcohol-friendly-sections-at-football-stadium/article_4d6b2c23-d936-5205-956a-eb44da055f0a.html#comments

It sounds like stadiums renovations could be in the mix, if alcohol sales are positive!

So drink up!  ;D

[FlyHawk98]

So what does this say to the rest of the fans out there?

You are only allowed to drink if you have enough money to sit in the chairbacks. So Marshall is basically saying that the average family person who can't afford chairbacks can't have beer. If you are a peasant and get caught with beer then they will escort you out. If you have the money for chair backs then you can walk around your section just flaunting it. Think about the people who sit right next to the chair backs but the next section over.

Talk about a slap in the face to 90% of the fan base who doesn't sit in the chair backs.

We are.....Peasants.

[MarshallHerdFan99]

So what does this say to the rest of the fans out there?

You are only allowed to drink if you have enough money to sit in the chairbacks. So Marshall is basically saying that the average family person who can't afford chairbacks can't have beer. If you are a peasant and get caught with beer then they will escort you out. If you have the money for chair backs then you can walk around your section just flaunting it. Think about the people who sit right next to the chair backs but the next section over.

Talk about a slap in the face to 90% of the fan base who doesn't sit in the chair backs.

We are.....Peasants.

Calm down its a damn test run. It'll expand next year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HerdKelly]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/mu-expands-alcohol-friendly-sections-at-football-stadium/article_4d6b2c23-d936-5205-956a-eb44da055f0a.html#comments

It sounds like stadiums renovations could be in the mix, if alcohol sales are positive!

So drink up!  ;D

The way I read it is that you can't sell beer in the concourses without first expanding the concourses and adding restrooms (at least not unless you want people to be miserable). 

The problem is where do you get the money to renovate.  Alcohol sales are nice but it won't make anywhere close the money needed for renovations.

[banker]

Saying you can't sell beer in the concourse without expanding is a strawman in the most obvious sense.  There is basic math at work, selling beer does not change the number of people the stadium can hold and does not likely significantly impact the number of people that will attend.  Even if it does, we won't have more people than a sell out.  Given that, all you are really saying is that the concourses need to be expanded, but we already know that.  It takes no more room to sell beer than it takes to sell lemonade and they have sold lemonade for decades with no reported deaths or injuries.

The bathroom thing, we already know the bathrooms aren't great, but everybody who would buy beers during the game is already most likely drinking before the game and at the half anyway, so they are already pissing somewhere.  If the crush of people whizzing 5 minutes before kick-off can be handled by the existing restroom structure, then it can handle any other peak time of mass relieving.

This just reeks of a kick starter for the next vision campaign round.  That's fine, and I will donate to it, but just come out and say what you want without creating a crisis that doesn't exist.

[The E-Man]

Good move by MU in my opinion. I totally agree with how they are rolling it out.

Steve, I wish beer was sold in the whole stadium though. Having beer sold in one section It's a start. Hopefully it works out well enough to have the whole stadium included next season.

[FlyHawk98]

I'm not a heavy drinker. I rarely drink anyways. I just think its the principle of it, and the fact we are leaving a lot of money on the table.

IF I did decide to have a beer, I can't drink it in the stadium only because of where I can afford to sit?

[GoHerd2112]

This kind of reminds me of Dr. Seuss' book The Sneetches. Some have stars on their belly and some do not.

[svherd]

To take a line from another poster - #ALLSEATSMATTER    :D

[Greg H]

So what does this say to the rest of the fans out there?

You are only allowed to drink if you have enough money to sit in the chairbacks. So Marshall is basically saying that the average family person who can't afford chairbacks can't have beer. If you are a peasant and get caught with beer then they will escort you out. If you have the money for chair backs then you can walk around your section just flaunting it. Think about the people who sit right next to the chair backs but the next section over.

Talk about a slap in the face to 90% of the fan base who doesn't sit in the chair backs.

We are.....Peasants.

I guess we found the commie that was going to vote Bernie.  Until he endorsed the criminal Hillary anyway.

[MarshallSteve]

Steve, I wish beer was sold in the whole stadium though. Having beer sold in one section It's a start. Hopefully it works out well enough to have the whole stadium included next season.

I think they eventually will. For that to happen though we have to expand the concourse if its going to be done right.

[FlyHawk98]

I guess we found the commie that was going to vote Bernie.  Until he endorsed the criminal Hillary anyway.

Not a chance.

I never said they should add a tax to every ticket and then provide free beer for everyone. Of course the tax on the chairbacks, luxury boxes and such would have to be 100x more than the cheap seats :)