The Board of Regents will vote Thursday on whether to allow the sale of beer in Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day in Nebraska on Aug. 30.
We'd urge their support.
Beer was served in the stadium at a Garth Brooks concert in 2021. Beer was available in March of 2022 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Regents OK'd the serving of beer for men's and women's basketball games through the 2023-2024 seasons.
Volleyball at Memorial Stadium will make a good proving ground for the next step in this experiment, which may ultimately lead to the sale of beer at Husker football games.
So far, the sale of alcohol at Pinnacle Bank Arena and the Brooks concert has been relatively uneventful. As Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts noted, "We will rely on that previous experience as we plan for this event. Ultimately, if alcohol is approved, our goals will be to provide an efficient point-of-sale experience for our fans, and to manage the event in a safe and responsible way.”
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Yes, the sale of beer isn't without its complications — meeting demand efficiently, the chance for overindulgence and increased pressure on infrastructure (which is a polite way of saying a lot people needing the bathroom) — but a limited trial, built on experience will provide as risk-free of a dry run as one could hope for. And, of course, it offers a glimpse of the revenue potential that beer sales could have.
The Aug. 30 event will combine two volleyball games — University of Nebraska at Kearney vs. Wayne State College at 4:30 p.m. and UNO vs. the Huskers at 7 p.m. — followed by a concert by country music artist Scotty McCreery.
It's a busy evening, but make no mistake about it, the centerpiece is Husker volleyball, a hugely successful program that benefits from and fuels a passion for the sport in the state among the young.
No one wants to lose the family atmosphere of Husker volleyball, and no one wants to harm its appeal among families.
But, as Alberts has noted, the sales of beer at popular sporting events is an amenity fans have come to expect.
This special event is a chance to meet some of those expectations and, for some, enhance the experience. It's also a chance to learn more about what the future could hold for fans and finances.