Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi told Sports Headliners that the decision not to serve alcohol in premium seating areas at TCF Bank Stadium, Williams Arena and Mariucci Arena will cost the athletic department at least $1 million for the 2009-2010 budget year. “Without a question it will put us in the red,” he said.
The department has been operating in the black and was expecting to do so for the coming fiscal year but the no alcohol situation has changed all that. Maturi said University leadership outside of the athletic department is trying to help solve the problem.
A letter was sent to premium seating purchasers last week regarding options on their financial commitments. The Gophers have been serving alcohol in premium seating areas at Williams and Mariucci arenas, and had been enticing suite, club and loge buyers in the new TCF Stadium that opens in September with the benefit of having alcoholic beverages (not available to the general public in the three facilities). Legislation passed by the state this spring required that alcohol be made available to everyone in the facilities, or no one.
Maturi said the letter describes reduced pricing options. He also said the $1 million in projected losses is based on the assumption “nobody walks away,” meaning the choice isn’t to discontinue being a premium seating purchaser.
The University’s decision to make TCF Bank and its other facilities “dry” is all about commitment to the students, according to school leaders. “There’s a reason that almost nobody sells alcohol on campuses,” Maturi said. “There’s a responsibility to teach and lead by example.”
Maturi said Syracuse and Cincinnati are the only schools he knows of that sell alcohol to the general public (including students of drinking age) at their campus stadiums. He also said the University doesn’t assume that its alcohol ban in athletic facilities will lessen drinking on campus but that doesn’t change the commitment to teach, educate and lead by example. The policy is consistent with past decisions by the University not to advertise alcohol in its programs, arena signage and radio broadcasts.
Eight other Big Ten Conference schools, or over 70 percent, allow alcohol in premium seating areas. Maturi guesses the percentage is even higher in other major conferences throughout the country.
He said the Minnesota legislature is the only legislative body in the country to enact law requiring that if alcohol is going to be served in school athletic facilities it must be made available to all. The decision has left Maturi disappointed and frustrated.
Among the reasons he’s upset is that five years ago when football stadium planning was beginning legislators knew about the University’s intent to provide alcohol in premium seating areas only. “This is old news,” he said.
The timing of legislation being passed and signed by governor Tim Pawlenty within months of the stadium opening left the athletic department in an embarrassing situation with its premium purchasers. Still, President Bob Bruininks and the Board of Regents did comply with the decision rather than resist.
Now, Maturi said there’s talk about future legislation requiring the Gophers to sell alcohol to the public. If the legislature further forces the issue, it’s more than a decent bet there will be plenty of push back by the University.