LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – In July of this year, Michigan legislators crafted legislation, SB 247, allowing alcohol sales at the state’s 15 public universities’ basketball, hockey and football games with schools being allowed to apply for licenses for up to 100 total days of alcohol sales during a calendar year.
According to the Lansing State Journal (LSJ), in 2023, Michigan State University (MSU) brought in more than $582,000, selling 58,200 cans of beer at the football stadium. Fans paid $10 for cans of domestic beer and $12 for Michigan and craft drinks. And that was only during the final four home games of the season.
How do the favorite beers rank?
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What were the favorite beers of State fans? Starting with the game against Washington, MSU Spartan Stadium concessions sold seven different beers in 16 oz. cans and a seltzer in 12-ounce cans. They were sold at several kiosks that were separated from other refreshment counters with sales being cut off in the third quarter of every game. They also limited sales to two beers at a time. Even though sales basically only went through halftime, they sold an average of 14,550 cans per game.
Kat Cooper, Director of Communications for Student Life and Engagement, said that it appears that the people buying more beer were from the opposing team who hadn’t tailgated before the game. She added, “There are so many variables. We’ve long known in concessions that sales are highly dependent on the weather, the opponent and the action on the field; and that plays out in alcohol sales, too.”
What’s the biggest seller?
The biggest seller over the fall football season at MSU was Coors Light. In a tie, the runners up turned out to be Sparti Parti and the Oberons (earlier games sold the classic Oberon Ale, later games sold Oberon Eclipse). Cooper said that the only non-beer offering, Nutrl Seltzer Orange, was also a strong seller. The rest of the beer options at the stadium included Founders All-Day IPA, North Peak’s Sparta, Short’s Local’s Light and Bud Light.
Cooper told LSJ that a portion of the revenue from the beer sales will go toward MSU’s University Health and Wellbeing initiative to fund educational programs with the remainder split between Athletics and Student Life & Engagement for stadium fan experience improvements.
What about U of M?
About 65 miles away from MSU’s East Lansing is the University of Michigan (UM) in Ann Arbor. In October, the Associated Press reported that the U-M Regents approved a plan to get alcohol permits for Michigan Stadium, Crisler Center (basketball) and Yost Ice Arena (hockey). In both the report and in a press release from U-M, it said that they had plans to sell alcohol during the upcoming basketball and hockey season and decide later when to have booze for sale at their football games.
