Maryland submits proposal to allow alcohol sales at basketball and football games

Maryland has submitted a proposal that would allow a one-year trial for the sale of alcohol at basketball and football games beginning this fall.

According to a report from Roman Stubbs of the Washington Post, the school is prepared to sell one alcoholic beverage per legal adult at both Byrd Stadium and the Xfinity Center.

From the Washington Post:

The Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners, which holds final approval authority, will address the proposal during a public hearing July 8. Should it be approved, Maryland would sell beer and wine at concession stands for a one-year trial period beginning in the fall.

One of the concerns with selling alcohol at college games is the presence of many underage students, but alcohol would not be sold near the student sections, according to the report. The sale of alcohol could be another good revenue stream for Maryland and the article notes that other schools like West Virginia, Louisville and Minnesota have done fine with the sale of alcohol at its sporting events.

With the school estimating the 85 percent of its crowd is over the age of 21, this doesn’t sound like that bad of a measure to add to games, since there is a one-drink limit per transaction within the stadium. It appears more and more schools will look at potentially adding the sale of alcohol at games because many fans support its addition and it also provides even more money for a school’s athletic department.