Should Notre Dame Sell Alcohol In Notre Dame Stadium?
The fans have spoken.
A poll was created for the Notre Dame faithful. We wanted to address a trending topic in the landscape of college sports. Should alcohol be served at a college football game?
Fans pointed out the opportunity to tailgate prior to the event. Others also emphasized the post-game opportunities.
The poll results show that 59% support the sale of alcohol. However, 41% oppose it.
Naysayers brought up valid points. Points ranging from safety concerns to maintaining the tradition at Notre Dame.
Those in favor of serving alcohol saw several benefits. First, strengthening the home-field advantage. Also, generating additional revenue in hopes of lowering ticket prices. Finally, it’s part of the namesake.
According to the map below, over 50 programs allow the sale of alcoholic beverages on game day.
But, Louisville Does It…
The Louisville Cardinals are one of the 50+ programs that fit into that category. Notre Dame kicks off the 2019 season at Cardinal Stadium. This won’t be the first time Notre Dame played in a true away game where alcoholic beverages are consumed by opposing fans, however. Fellow Atlantic Coast Conference opponents Wake Forest, Boston College and the University of Miami have been selling alcoholic beverages as early as 2016.
The game in Louisville is a special Monday night kick-off. Luckily for the Fighting Irish, it is a school night.
Inside Cardinal Stadium
This gentleman provides valuable insight into what a game at Cardinal Stadium is like. He notices people socializing at the bars. His stance is clear. Once you allow alcohol, there is no pulling it back.
The Sell-Out Streak
The level of engagement from fans shows how controversial it is. Something that has the potential to impact attendance. The numbers show that Notre Dame does not need to sell alcoholic beverages in order to fill the seats.
Notre Dame has a rich history of tradition, especially with attendance. According to the University’s website,
“Every Irish home game since 1966 has been a sellout with the exception of a Thanksgiving Day match-up with Air Force in 1973. That game was changed to the holiday to accommodate national TV and was played with students absent from campus.”
The same website, however, mentioned a dated position on music concert policy.
“Music concerts are not held in Notre Dame Stadium in order to preserve its legendary traditions.”
Garth Brooks became the first concert at Notre Dame Stadium on October 2018. Alcoholic beverages were sold.
VIP Treatment
Notre Dame does currently sell alcoholic beverages at home football games. These perks, though, are only to VIP/SUITE guests. Not the general admission public, for whom the poll was intended.
