Nebraska Regents to consider expanding alcohol sales to all athletic events, including football and volleyball
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will meet next week to consider allowing alcohol sales and consumption at all University of Nebraska athletic events.
If approved at the Oct. 4 meeting, Nebraska Athletics plans to introduce alcohol sales for the 2025-26 season, including at football and volleyball games. The university would not need to seek approval from the Board for each individual event after the policy is established.
“The University of Nebraska has put a great deal of thought and care into how we approach alcohol at our athletic events. I’m very pleased that we have shown we can do this safely, responsibly and in a way that makes sense for our fans, our student-athletes and the institution as a whole,” said President Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “This is the next step as we consider how best to meet our fans’ expectations, carefully monitor safety and at the same time bring Nebraska in line with our peers in today’s changing college athletics landscape.”
Dr. Gold added that revenue from alcohol sales would help fund the university’s alcohol safety programs.
Athletic Director Troy Dannen said, “We are committed to providing a first-class game-day experience and amenities in all our athletic venues. Alcohol sales have been successfully and safely implemented at Pinnacle Bank Arena and Haymarket Park in recent years. Our success in those venues with alcohol sales, combined with our recent and planned infrastructure upgrades, has informed us we are prepared to provide the same opportunity at Memorial Stadium, the Bob Devaney Sports Center, and our other facilities, beginning with the 2025-26 athletic season.”
Right now, Nebraska is the only Big Ten institution that is not currently approved to sell alcohol at football games.
In 2022, the Board amended its policy regarding alcohol on university property to allow alcohol at designated athletic events, with the caveat that the administration would come back to the Board for approval for each individual event or venue.
Since that time, the Board has approved alcohol sales at Pinnacle Bank Arena for Husker men’s and women’s basketball, as well as Haymarket Park for Husker baseball and softball. In addition, regents approved alcohol sales at the 2022 Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena, and at Volleyball Day in Nebraska in Memorial Stadium in 2023. No major alcohol-related incidents have occurred at any of these events. Alcohol has also long been sold safely at Maverick hockey games.
The meeting is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4th at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. It begins at 9 a.m. in Room 120 of the Regional Engagement Center, located just south of U.S. Highway 30 on the UNK campus.
The meeting is open to the public and will also be live-streamed at www.nebraska.edu.
A detailed agenda for the full Board meeting is available on their website here.
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