for the boozehounds

[vbfan19]

from a PSC email:

The 2015-16 basketball season is upon us, and we have an exciting new premium hospitality area in McLeod Center for a limited number of fans – the Panther Patio. The Panther Patio is an opportunity to responsibly enjoy alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) before and during Panther men’s basketball games. A limited number of passes will be sold to current season ticket holders who are also Panther Scholarship Club members. Here’s how it works:

• You must be a current season ticket holder to purchase a Panther Patio pass.
• You may purchase as many passes as you have season tickets (i.e., if you have four season tickets, you may purchase up to four Panther Patio passes).
• Panther Patio passes do not replace tickets and are not good for entry into McLeod.
• You must be 21 years of age or older to gain access to the Panther Patio.
• Scan your game ticket as you normally do, then enter the Panther Patio via the southeast corner of McLeod (stairs) or the northeast corner (stairs or elevator) by showing your Panther Patio Pass.
• Beverages available for purchase on the Panther Patio will include domestic beer ($5/glass), craft beer ($5/glass), and wine ($6/glass).
• Free snacks will be available on the Panther Patio.
• The Panther Patio will be open when the doors open to the general public (60 minutes prior to game time) and will close at the under eight-minute timeout in the second half.
• Beverages will not be permitted to leave the Panther Patio area.
• Panther Patio passes are available for $100 each. The pass is good for the 2015-16 men’s basketball regular season, except for the following date: - 2/20 vs. Illinois State

[06panther10]

This is great news.

[GonzoCat]

Re: for the boozehounds

So if you are a season ticket holder and PSC member, for only $100 you can get the opportunity to buy $5 glasses of beer at games. Probably be very popular.

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: for the boozehounds

So if you are a season ticket holder and PSC member, for only $100 you can get the opportunity to buy $5 glasses of beer at games. Probably be very popular.

I hope so. I knew they were working on this but wasn't sure until last week how it would all be presented or how it would work. I did see a few people up there during Saturday's game.

[Kyle]

Re: for the boozehounds

It's about time. This is a logical first step toward offering beer/wine to all of age fans at basketball and football games. The patio will be packed for marquee games and just about every weekend game.

I wonder what their definition of "limited number" is.

[otter]

Re: for the boozehounds

Why not just sell it at the concessions and sell it to everyone?

[otter]

Re: for the boozehounds

PS: Scholfield is going to be on OPR tonight to talk about the patio

[ronfitch]

Re: for the boozehounds

Why not just sell it at the concessions and sell it to everyone?

University of Minnesota Athletic Department tried to instate something similar to this at TCF Stadium back when it was new (2009) and the state legislature passed and the governor (Pawlenty) signed a law prohibiting sale of alcohol anywhere in the stadium. Then the University Board of Regents voted to make policy University President Brunink's proposal to ban sale of alcohol at all campus athletic events (Williams, Marriuci, perhaps the women's hockey arena - can't recall if they sold beer there).

The following year, in May 2010, the state leg passed a law saying it could be sold in premium seating areas (the original plan) only if it could also be sold in one-third of other seating. In 2012, the Regents voted to allow sales at TCF.

[jegbomb52]

Re: for the boozehounds

not to bring up an old argument but my god how stupid are we for not ripping the band aid off. A full UNI - Dome and McLeod Center would be in-evitable with beer sales. $3 beers for all Saturday Panther home games. Jesus, we would be the talk of the state....

[vbfan19]

Re: for the boozehounds

they should sell Caseys breakfast pizza.

(oops, wrong board. haha)

[Kyle]

Re: for the boozehounds

not to bring up an old argument but my god how stupid are we for not ripping the band aid off. A full UNI - Dome and McLeod Center would be in-evitable with beer sales. $3 beers for all Saturday Panther home games. Jesus, we would be the talk of the state....

While I think this move is long overdue and we should offer beer/wine (not liquor) at all Dome/McLeod games, this is a smart way to begin the transition.

Going from zero to 100 provides less margin for error and god knows UNI has royally screwed up all kinds of stuff during the implementation phase.

And $3 is way too cheap. Heck, I think $5 is too cheap, but this is Cedar Falls where people would rather have a huge mortgage payment than discretionary income.

[run&blade]

Re: for the boozehounds

So you need a game tickets plus another $100 gets you the right to walk upstairs and buy beer at a premium price.

Well I am sure that is in the budget for some but not most UNI fans.

If they wanted to dip their toe into the alcohol sales I think selling beer at some of the games during Xmas break would have been a stroke of genius.

I think everybody knows where this ends an that is beer for everybody. I think $5 draws would bring in some nice crowds.

[Barnstormer]

Re: for the boozehounds

You lost me at "responsibly enjoy."

[06panther10]

So you need a game tickets plus another $100 gets you the right to walk upstairs and buy beer at a premium price.

Well I am sure that is in the budget for some but not most UNI fans.

A) you're wrong.

B) I'm glad you found a way to complain about something that didn't even exist 2 hours ago.

[vbfan19]

Re: for the boozehounds

You lost me at "responsibly enjoy."

which is an excellent reason why they shouldn't have widespread alcohol sales