North Texas Daily

 Joshua Knopp / Senior Staff Writer

Mean Green athletics announced in a press release today that beer will be available at Apogee Stadium during the football season.

This makes UNT the eighth Texas state school that currently serves beer on-campus at athletic events. Campus president Neal Smatresk said in the statement that his experience at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, which also served beer during football games in an off-campus stadium, helped him decide this was the right choice.

“Selling beer helped to more carefully regulate alcohol consumption and encouraged more fans to watch the game in the stadium,” he said. “It also cumulatively improved revenues.”

Athletics director Rick Villarreal said the school does not currently have a projection as far as how much money it will make, but he said an uptick in other sales is expected as well.

“The first year, you’re kind of going in a little bit blind from a revenue standpoint,” he said. “Beer sales will produce part of the sales, but we think that’ll generate additional ticket sales and that’ll generate additional snack sales.”

Villarreal said beer sizes, costs and selection are currently being finalized and decisions will be made in the next week or so, but he expects most regular brands to be present.

Student responses on the Mean Green Athletics Twitter account have been largely positive. Student body president Troy Elliott said he supports the move and agrees with Smatresk.

“This would ultimately move the drinking on the Hill into the stadium where security and vendors can monitor patrons safety,” Elliott said. “Partnerships with beer companies and sales will bring in hundreds of dollars throughout the years. Both of these points are strong positive impacts.”

According to the press release, Metzler’s catering will oversee the beer sales. The restaurant already manages alcohol sales in the club suites at Apogee Stadium.

Feature photo: Apogee Stadium in 2013. File Photo