By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – When I venture to a Norfolk Tides or Norfolk Admirals game, I almost always head to the concession stand to grab a beer and a hot dog before finding my seats.
There's nothing more All-American than a beer and a dog at a ballgame, right? Beer has been sold at Scope and Harbor Park, and just about every other pro venue in America, for decades.
However, until about a decade ago, beer and wine sales were verboten in college arenas and stadiums, except for luxury and club seats or tailgate lots.
Beer sales slowly began to spread to college venues in 2010 or so. In 2019, the SEC became the final FBS conference to end a ban on beer sales. Most ACC schools began selling alcohol to the general public at football games this fall.
Old Dominion chose to take a more cautious approach. Officials here waited to see if the sale of alcohol caused incidents among fans and so far, alcohol sales have not increased confrontations between fans around the country.
To the contrary, major colleges that began selling beer saw a dramatic drop in alcohol-related fan ejections. Ohio State's rate of fan ejections dropped 65% and Oregon's 49% in the first football season in which they sold beer to the general public, according to Sports Illustrated.
No one really knows why, but the theory is that people consume less in the parking lots because they know they can buy a beer after they walk through the turnstiles.
Now, years after many of our neighboring schools began selling alcohol at games, ODU has also begun to do the same.
ODU had a soft opening on beer and wine sales when the Monarchs defeated Longwood the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Beer and wine will also be available Wednesday when the ODU women host Bowie State and then on Saturday when the Monarch men's team takes on archrival VCU.
VCU, by the way, is a white-out game and you need to get your tickets quickly. Seats are going fast.
Selig called the sale of beer and wine "a pilot study."
"A number of universities in Virginia sell beer and wine to the general public in their venues," Dr. Selig said. "We have not allowed that.
"So, we decided to do a pilot study and see how it goes. We sold beer and wine to the public for the Longwood game, and it went very well. There were no incidents.
"Our next home game for the men is VCU. So, you can get a beer, take it to your seat and watch ODU beat VCU Saturday night."
Virginia, Virginia Tech, James Madison and Richmond allow beer and wine sales in both football and basketball games. VCU and George Mason, which don't play football, are also selling suds and wine at home basketball games.
ODU is proceeding cautiously. Sales will be limited to the concession stands on the concourse and yes, you will have to show an ID even if you're, like me, gray-haired and mostly bald.
I smile whenever someone half my age cards me. So should you.
Concessionaires will continue to hawk soft drinks, popcorn, and other fare through the stands, but not beer and wine.
Liquor will still be limited to the suites and club seats, as it should be.
Beer and wine sales will be cut off with 10 minutes left in the second half for men's games and at the end of the third quarter for women's games.
And, no, you won't be able to buy six beers for you and your buddies. Sales will be limited to two glasses of beer or wine per person. And extra staff will be on hand to make sure everyone is obeying the rules.
I've spoken to a dozen or so ODU fans about this issue and all agree. They're glad that ODU took the cautious, careful approach, but are even happier that they can finally have an occasional drink while watching their favorite basketball teams.
Selig indicated that if things go as well as he hopes, the next logical discussion would be to consider beer and wine sales next football season at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
"I think if we have success in basketball, we will definitely consider selling it next year in S.B. Ballard Stadium," Selig said.
"We think it will help boost ticket sales. Fans are generally accustomed to having a beer when they watch a game.
"And that's why we're trying this. It's something our fans have been requesting for years."
Minium: ODU Basketball Fans Can Now Purchase Beer and Wine at Chartway Arena
