Kentucky softball fans will be part of a pilot program at UK to determine the future of alcohol sales at UK sporting events. (Vicky Graff Photo)
If you are a Kentucky softball or baseball fan, you can have a beer or seltzer at home games this season.
Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart unveiled a pilot program for limited alcohol sales at UK baseball and softball games this year. The SEC okayed alcohol sales at member schools four years ago but UK has not done that for any sport.
“Our priority is, as always, to positively impact our student athletes and the experience of our fans,” Barnhart said in a release from UK. “As has been our longstanding practice, we approached this deliberately, keeping in mind our priorities and principles.”
Deliberately? Yes, I would say four years is deliberate.
“We focused on data and the lessons learned and best practices from other institutions. After careful consideration of these factors, we concluded that the time is right to implement a pilot program at baseball and softball games this season so that we can learn more,” Barnhart said.
Learn more? What can UK learn from a baseball or softball fan having a beer that you could not learn from a football or basketball fan having a beer at a game?
“Mitch and his team moved thoughtfully through a process that led to this pilot program,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “The decision to initiate a pilot program is one that the institution grappled with, and the methodical approach taken by the athletics department will lead to the best experience for our student-athletes and sports fans alike. It is through that lens that we will make decisions about future seasons.”
Here are limitations for the pilot program:
—Alcohol beverage sales will include beer and seltzer products sold in cans or cups.
— There will be a limit of two products per transaction with ID checked at each transaction.
— Alcohol sales at baseball will conclude at the completion of the top of the seventh inning and completion of the top of the fifth inning at softball (which plays seven innings compared to nine for baseball).
For fans hoping for alcohol sales at football/basketball games, this is a baby step for Barnhart who has been opposed to sales to the “average” fan but has allowed alcohol sales in suites and boxes at football.
In the release from UK sports communications where quotes were from “UK Athletics” and not any specific person (and yes that seems very strange), the release said UK did “trust” fans to consume alcohol and behave properly even though UK/Barnhart has not allowed general alcohol sales at any sport until now.
The release also said the possibility of increased revenue from alcohol sales played no factor in this decision and won’t in future decisions.
“The possibility of an additional revenue stream played a role in the decision but was not a primary consideration,” the release said without attributing it to any specific person. “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.”
Maybe it won’t, but money is money and based on concession prices, parking prices, ticket prices, etc., obviously money does matter.
