LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — For years, UK fans have done their beer-drinking in parking lots during pregame tailgates. Now, for the first time, they can keep the party going as UK begins to sell alcohol inside Kroger Field.
This follows what amounts to a trial run at Kentucky Baseball and Softball games. While not the primary reason UK says they chose to extend alcohol to other sports, UK says sales totaled about $110,000 during baseball season.
Instead, UK is making a change because they recognize people have come to expect alcohol to be sold at events, they said. They waited after the SEC started allowing the sale of alcohol in 2019 to see how thing went at other SEC schools.
Fans have to be 21 to make a purchase. ID will be checked. They will be limited to 2 drinks.
Their food service partner, Aramark, will monitor to see if anyone is overserved.
Sales will stop at the end of the third quarter.
The vast majority of students on-campus LEX 18 spoke with on Friday said they were in favor of the change, but some did have concerns about student behavior. Other said it would help because they would be able to pace themselves compared to getting drunk before the game begins.
Alcohol will also be sold at UK basketball and other games.
It’s not clear how much the beers and seltzers will cost. During baseball season, they were $9-10.
You can see an updated concession map below:
UK Athletics also included the following frequently asked questions:
Q: Since the Southeastern Conference first permitted alcohol sales at home venues in 2019, Kentucky Athletics has chosen not to do so. Why the change now?
A: The gameday experience for our student-athletes and fans is extremely important to us. This is a significant change and we wanted to monitor how this affected the home atmosphere and gameday-management operations at other league schools. In recent years, the norm has shifted, and fans have come to expect beer as an amenity at entertainment events.
Q: What role did UK campus authorities play in this decision?
A: As we have said before, this has been a collective decision we made as an institution, and we are appreciative of the support we receive from our administration.
Q: What do you say to the fans who have expressed the desire to keep our athletics events without alcohol sales?
A: It’s well-known that there are strong opinions on each side of the issue. Being considerate of those who have voiced those concerns is part of why we have moved deliberately and taken some time to get to this point. Our concessions partner, Aramark, is managing beer/seltzer sales at venues all across the country and will be monitoring consumption to help ensure a positive fan experience.
Q: Are you concerned that some fans will no longer come to games because of alcohol sales?
A: Providing a positive, enjoyable gameday experience for all our fans is a foundational principle for us. Our goal is to continue to provide that experience so that everyone feels comfortable in attending our events.
Q: Will you have an alcohol-free seating section?
A: That is not planned at this time; however, beer and seltzer will only be sold in designated locations.
Q: Will you have an evaluation process for fans who appear to be overserved?
A: Aramark has deep experience and provides training in managing alcohol sales in a way that protects the fan experience. Aramark also provides dedicated monitors at every venue where it sells alcohol.
Q: You talk about the fan experience, but what about the student-athlete experience? Do you worry that UK athletes or their opponents could be subject to inappropriate or rude behavior if alcohol were sold during games?
A: We always monitor fan behavior at every venue in the interest of a positive experience for everyone involved and that will continue. Our culture of UK Athletics is support for our teams and respect for the opponent. We will continue to have a high standard of sportsmanship at our contests and will not stray from that principle.
Q: What role did financial considerations play in the decision and how much money do you expect to make?
A: The possibility of an additional revenue stream played a role in the decision but was not a primary consideration. In making our decision, revenue considerations come in a distant third to the student and fan experiences. The revenue raised will not be a significant piece of our funding.
