ANN ARBOR (WWJ) – Michigan basketball and hockey fans may soon be able to drink alcohol at games, but football fans hoping to have a beer at the Big House this fall will have to wait.
On Thursday the school's Board of Regents voted in approval of asking the Michigan Liquor Control Commission to issue liquor licenses for Michigan Stadium, Crisler Center and Yost Ice Arena.
The board voted to implement licenses at Crisler and Yost – home of the basketball and hockey teams, respectively – "as soon as possible for the current seasons."
The board will vote at a later date on possible a license for the Big House after "careful consideration" and reviewing sales, data and statistics at the other two venues.
Regent Paul Brown said there's greater concern over selling alcohol at the 107,000-seat Big House over the span of a three-hour football game than there is at Crisler and Yost.
"There's a spectrum of probably understanding and believes by this on our board as there is of our fans and customers. This is, I think, a larger issue, than our smaller venues with shorter durations of events, which is hockey and basketball."
If the liquor licenses are approved by the state, fans would be able to buy alcohol at Michigan games at those three venues, as well as during "a small number of non-athletic events" each year.
University officials say they're still considering the various ways to use revenue from the sale of alcohol, if the licenses are approved by the state.
Regent Denise Ilitch says alcohol sales could help bring other events to Michigan Stadium.
"I'm very encouraged and excited to have more events at the Big House and use the property very efficiently and bring more music and fun things to the community. And sometimes they require that alcohol be there," Ilitch said.
The Board of Regents' decision comes after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed new laws this summer lifting Michigan's ban on alcohol sales at public university stadiums and sports arenas. The bill, which took effect immediately, allows universities to individually determine if they wish to sell alcohol at home sporting events.
Michigan State and Western Michigan are the first two schools in the state to sell alcohol at their football stadiums under the new law. The No. 2-ranked Wolverines play at MSU's Spartan Stadium Saturday night.
