Georgia athletics made more than $3 million in 2024-25 alcohol sales revenue
ATHENS — The University of Georgia generated more than $3 million in gross revenue from alcohol sales during the 2024-25 sports seasons, according to data obtained from UGA by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Football games, in the first year of alcohol sales allowed for the general public at Sanford Stadium, generated most of the $3,321,912 in revenue, grossing $2.79 million in the six 2024 home games.
Below is how each 2024 football home game ranked with their total amount earned.
- Tennessee ($762,801)
- Auburn ($516,770)
- Georgia Tech ($495,009)
- Mississippi State ($406,593)
- UMass ($314,850)
- Tennessee Tech ($298,458)
Just behind football in earnings were baseball ($243,006) and men’s basketball ($221,068). Baseball had 40 home games and men’s basketball had 18 home games.
Georgia and Auburn were the last of the then-16 SEC schools to approve public alcohol sales in their football stadiums. Alcohol was previously available in suites at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks explained why the school took its time with the decision.
“We wanted to be methodical about it, wanted to take our time to do it right,” Brooks said at a January, 2024, athletic board meeting.
“It wasn’t a race to just do something without proper preparation. I felt like by having a couple years to sell it at Stegeman, do it at baseball (in 2023), we were able to work through some of the logistical challenges of it and be better prepared.”
UGA first started selling alcohol beverages at men’s and women’s basketball games at Stegeman Coliseum during the 2021-22 season. The university quickly expanded alcohol offering at baseball and softball in the spring of 2022.
Revenue at 2024-25 sporting events outside of football, men’s basketball and baseball totaled less than $75,000 combined. Interestingly, softball, which ranked fourth, earned more than tennis, women’s basketball, soccer and volleyball combined.
Here’s a look at the gross revenue generated by each UGA sports season in 2024-25:
- Football: $2,794,481
- Baseball: $243,006
- Men’s basketball: $221,068
- Softball: $34,744
- Tennis: $8,880
- Women’s basketball: $6,788
- Soccer: $6,481
- Volleyball: $6,464
Across all sports, the top-three selling products, in order, were High Noon vodka seltzers, Creature Comforts’ Tropicalia IPA and Michelob Ultra light beer.
Creature Comforts Brewing Company, based in Athens, has a partnership with UGA Athletics that was formed in 2023, when it became the program’s official craft beer
According to the data obtained from UGA, here’s how each product sold, in total units, across the Georgia athletics events:
- High Noon: 69,670
- Creature Comforts Tropicalia: 49,113
- Michelob Ultra: 45,995
- Miller Lite: 36,095
- Creature Comforts Classic City Lager: 34,572
- Coors Light: 31,088
- Modelo: 26,376
- Creature Comforts Sip ‘Em seltzer: 11,624
- Twisted Tea: 10,567
- Athletic (non-alcoholic): 397
About the Author
Mike is in his 10th season covering SEC and Georgia athletics for AJC-DawgNation and has 25 years of CFB experience. Mike is a Heisman Trophy voter and former Football Writers President who was named the National FWAA Beat Writer of the Year in January, 2018.
