Ohio State University has put an interesting spin on its decision to sell alcohol to fans at Ohio Stadium.
The revenue from Ohio State alcohol sales – which will be available to all fans of legal age at all football games this fall – will provide for the salaries of two new campus police department staff members. Additionally, the money will fund a study on the effects of alcohol on events, conducted by members of the university’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery.
It’s difficult to not appreciate the irony that a study on how alcohol effects people’s behavior at massive events – like an Ohio State football game – will be funded by alcohol sales revenue. One could also appreciate the possibility of individuals who have had too much paying the salaries of the arresting campus police through their alcohol purchases.
While these designations are set for the alcohol revenue, it’s hard to believe that these purposes will consume the entire sum. Ohio Stadium seats over 104,000 fans when filled to capacity. Naturally, not all of the patrons will be of legal age to purchase alcohol, but the vast majority will be.
Unless the new campus police staff are both making six figure salaries or the study will consume millions of dollars on an annual basis, Ohio State still stands to make a significant profit off the alcohol sales.
The decision to open the sales to all fans of legal age makes Ohio Stadium the 32nd such venue for college football. While exact figures from sales at other venues are difficult to ascertain, the other 31 stadiums are connected to some of the wealthiest college football programs in the nation.
Whether or not this will become a larger trend in college football remains to be seen, but as in most other aspects of sport entertainment, if it makes cents, it makes sense.
