UTEP to Introduce Beer Sales at Homecoming Game Against Tulane

The consumption of alcohol, like gambling, is one of those taboo subjects in our culture that almost everyone participates in, but no one wants to have an honest discussion about.

For years, the perception has been that the NCAA forbids the sale of alcohol at its sporting events.  The NCAA currently has no rule preventing alcohol sales at regular season events but bans all advertising and sales of alcoholic beverages during all 88 NCAA championships.

Citing the enhancement of the fan experience....(i.e. lagging ticket sales) UTEP will introduce the sale of beer at Saturday's homecoming game against Tulane.

According to a release from UTEP Senior Associate Athletic Director Jeff Darby:

Beer sales will be introduced at UTEP’s Homecoming football game on Saturday, October 20.  Adding football and basketball games to the list of UTEP events at which beer is sold has been under consideration for the past several years in response to expressions of interest from fans and supporters of UTEP athletics and a review of practices and trends at peer universities in Texas, in Conference USA, and across the nation.  Last summer’s community conversation about beer sales at the Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. vs. Andy Lee boxing match in the Sun Bowl further energized these deliberations.

“UTEP’s extensive experience with beer sales at special events in the Sun Bowl and the Don Haskins Center assures us that we will be able to offer at athletic events the same safe and family-friendly environment that this community has come to expect,” said UTEP President Diana Natalicio. “Introducing beer sales at UTEP’s Homecoming Game on October 20 underscores our commitment to this goal.”

Over the next several months, UTEP will closely monitor sales and the quality of fan experiences as part of an overall assessment to determine whether beer sales will be continued at UTEP football games and other athletic events in the future.

I am certainly no moralist on the issue, and if the university believes selling beer will put a few more butts in the seats at football and basketball games then more power to them.