They sold beer at Vanderbilt Stadium on Saturday, and the world did not end.
Vanderbilt University is one of six SEC membership institutions that decided to sell beer to the general public at its football games this fall. LSU is the other.
Brennan Wood of Atlanta, a Georgia fan who was attending Saturday’s game with his wife, Ashley, was standing in a long line in the Vanderbilt Stadium concourse to buy beer at halftime. Despite being $8 apiece, he was getting ready to buy three.
“And I’m willing to pay it,” said Wood, who said it was his first time doing so. “I think it’s great. I think the price needs to come down, but I think they need to offer this at every SEC stadium.”
After the SEC presidents approved alcohol sales in its stadiums this past spring, the University of Georgia and most of the rest of the league opted to provide beer only in certain areas of the stadium and to certain segments of their donor bases or not at all. Previously, alcohol was not permitted in SEC stadiums except in suites and boxes that were held under private leases.
In its first home game of the season this coming Saturday, UGA will offer beer and wine sales only on the 200 level of Sanford Stadium and only to donors who have given the university at least $100,000 cumulatively over the years. Count Wood among the Georgia football season-ticket holders who believe that's silly.
“If you don’t offer it, people are just gonna drink it in the parking lot before they come in. That’s what I did,” Wood said. “So, I mean, why not offer it in the stadium? And the school benefits off the price of the beer.”
UGA President Jere Morehead said the school, like most in the SEC, is taking a wait-and-see approach and will reevaluate its policy after this season.
Georgia fans who were partaking Saturday inside Vanderbilt Stadium reported “horrendously long” lines and slow service. Possibly related were long and slow lines to the restrooms.
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