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Nebraska reportedly approves sale of alcohol at future football, volleyball games
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Nebraska will begin selling alcohol at all football and volleyball games beginning in 2025. According to the Lincoln Journal Star’s Chris Dunker, the Nebraska Board of Regents voted 7-1 on Friday to approve the future sale of alcohol.
The school’s president said best practices from other universities that allow alcohol sales at sporting events would be adopted. A portion of the revenue generated will go toward the UNL student government to conduct alcohol and binge-drinking education campaigns.
Regent Kathy Wilmot was the lone dissenting vote, per the Journal Star. She said the sale of alcohol would have a negative effect on Husker athletic events. “I feel like we’re selling our soul,” she said.
Per the Journal Star, fellow regent Tim Clare said fears of the negative effects associated with selling alcohol inside Pinnacle Bank Arena — where Husker men’s and women’s basketball play their home games — have proven unfounded.
Memorial Stadium is the only permanent venue in the 18-team Big Ten conference that does not currently sell alcohol. Northwestern intends to join the group when it opens a newly rebuilt Ryan Field.
Nebraska has long been a holdout on this front because legendary head football coach Tom Osborne has remained opposed to the idea. According to Dunker, Osborne had a conversation with one regent in which he said increased payouts from the College Football Playoff would offset the need to generate additional revenue from in-stadium alcohol sales.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.