Stadium-wide beer sales coming to Kyle Field

We told you it was coming, we critiqued Aggie-themed beer names, and now it is official: Stadium-wide beer and wine sales are coming to Kyle Field this fall.

A&M’s announcement comes swiftly on the heels of the SEC lifting the conference-wide ban on alcohol sales in public spaces on May 31. A&M’s implementation will adhere to the guidelines of the SEC’s new game management policy on alcohol, which includes the following provisions:

• Alcoholic beverages are to be sold and dispensed only at designated stationary locations;
• Alcoholic beverages may not be sold by vendors within the seating areas;
• Identification check is required at every point of sale to prevent sales to minors;
• Alcoholic beverage sales are limited to beer and wine only (no hard liquor or mixed drinks may be sold in public seating areas);
• Limits must be established on the number of drinks purchased at one time by an individual;
• Alcohol must be dispensed into cups;
• Safe server training and additional training for staff to handle high risk situations is required; and
• Designated stop times for sale and/or distribution of alcohol must be enforced as follows: Football (end of 3rd quarter); Basketball (Men’s-Second half 12-minute TV timeout; Women’s-End of 3rd quarter); Baseball (end of the top of 7th inning); Softball (end of the top of the 5th inning); and Other Sports (At a designated time, no later than when 75% of the event’s regulation length competition is scheduled to be completed).

While some will say this will lead to more alcohol-related incidents in the stands, many schools that have already pivoted to in-stadium sales have actually shown the opposite, that the allure of availability during the game may actually curb binge-drinking prior to kickoff. Combine that with the obvious revenue generation (both from sales and potential sponsorship deals), and it’s a no-brainer for Texas A&M.

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