Michigan lawmakers are again attempting to pass legislation to end the prohibition of alcoholic beverage sales at college stadiums.
SB 247 sponsor Sen. Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo, told the Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee Tuesday, June 13, there are positive benefits to the legislation aside from simply allowing fans to purchase alcohol while cheering on their teams.
Big Ten conference schools that currently sell alcohol at sports venues have reportedly seen a decrease in binge drinking and alcohol-related issues at games, he said.
“Patrons, we hope, would be less inclined to load up prior to the game knowing that they will have the option to obtain an alcoholic beverage upon entering the facility and through the duration of the game,” McCann said.
The NCAA adopted a policy to end its prohibition on alcohol sales in 2019. Since then, 11 of the 14 Big Ten schools have begun selling alcohol at games, according to Marlon Lynch, vice president and chief safety officer at Michigan State University. MSU and the University of Michigan are among the three schools that do not allow such sales to the general public, but game suites do have access to alcoholic beverages.
Under the bill, the sale of alcohol at college stadiums and arenas would be limited to one hour before the event and end immediately at the end of the event. Patrons are allowed to consume alcoholic beverages on the premises for no later than 30 minutes after the event has ended, and drinks cannot be taken out of the venue.
There are concerns stemming from potentially selling alcohol at university sporting events.
Lynch said there are some who worry drinks could get into the hands of underage fans. However, he added MSU data shows approximately 65% of game attendees are 21 or older and sellers would still be obligated to check identification at purchase.
Another potential challenge: some stadiums may not be designed to accommodate longer lines at the counters.
“With that, an implementation of advanced notice and different techniques, that can be resolved as well,” Lynch said.
Even if the bill is passed, it’s still up to the university or college’s governing board to decide whether to implement the change.
Fred Schaible with Western Michigan University said university Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae has done a lot to prepare for the opportunity if the bill becomes law. He believes this is something the fans want and could bring additional revenue to the school.
“There’s a lot of work that goes into ensuring the safe sale of alcohol at our venues occurs,” Schaible said.
The bill passed out of committee in a unanimous vote. It will now go to the Senate floor for additional consideration.
Read more from MLive:
4 proposed changes could benefit Michigan prisoners
What should lab-grown meat be called? Not meat, lawmakers say.
If you can own a gun, you should be able to conceal it, say Michigan’s GOP lawmakers
West Michigan blueberry farm accused of trafficking workers