KeaneyBlue - The URI Basketball Forum

Should the Ryan Center Serve Beer at URI Basketball Games?

My feeling is to keep the sales the way they are. I would lean more towards not allowing beer at all if the only other option was to allow beer to be taken to the seats and allow sales throughout the Ryan Center.
I wouldn't drink beer in my seat if it was allowed. I prefer to focus on the game and be in my seat the entire game. Don't want to miss a minute ordering food, beer or using the restrooms

I'm ok with drinking my beer in the pub but let's make it a MUCH nicer place

Pretty one sided vote so far.

UCH21377 wrote:I'm ok with drinking my beer in the pub but let's make it a MUCH nicer place

Agree with this.

Only in a state where you can only buy beer in a liquor store would we ask if beer should be available in a sports arena. I'm waiting for the day I can gas my car up and get a six pack.

theblueram wrote:Only in a state where you can only buy beer in a liquor store would we ask if beer should be available in a sports arena. I'm waiting for the day I can gas my car up and get a six pack.

I know you can in FL...probably a lot of other states, too...

NYGFan_Section208 wrote:

theblueram wrote:Only in a state where you can only buy beer in a liquor store would we ask if beer should be available in a sports arena. I'm waiting for the day I can gas my car up and get a six pack.

I know you can in FL...probably a lot of other states, too...

Yes, I've lived in Texas, Florida, Cali and Georgia. Amazing what happens in other states compared to Rhode Island.

Ah, the Force [the liquor lobby] is strong in this one [RI].....Darth Vader

Yeah you can buy beer at a convenience store anywhere in the south.
Lower the price, let them carry the beer around.
Get people rowdy!

theblueram wrote:

NYGFan_Section208 wrote:

theblueram wrote:Only in a state where you can only buy beer in a liquor store would we ask if beer should be available in a sports arena. I'm waiting for the day I can gas my car up and get a six pack.

I know you can in FL...probably a lot of other states, too...

Yes, I've lived in Texas, Florida, Cali and Georgia. Amazing what happens in other states compared to Rhode Island.

Back in the day, I lived in FL, and you could go by the gas station and pick up cold beers out of a 55 gal drum filled with ice. they've give you a little paper bag, and you'd drink them on the way home from work. The place stayed busy at afternoon rush for sure! FL outlawed that back in the 90's i think.

UCH21377 wrote:

theblueram wrote:

NYGFan_Section208 wrote:
I know you can in FL...probably a lot of other states, too...

Yes, I've lived in Texas, Florida, Cali and Georgia. Amazing what happens in other states compared to Rhode Island.

Back in the day, I lived in FL, and you could go by the gas station and pick up cold beers out of a 55 gal drum filled with ice. they've give you a little paper bag, and you'd drink them on the way home from work. The place stayed busy at afternoon rush for sure! FL outlawed that back in the 90's i think.

In Melbourne Beach, they had a store you could drive through and buy beer in the early 90's. Didn't even have to get out of your car.

same thing in st. pete...two styles actually...one you could drive through like a car wash, and another where you drove by the window, like those island/booths where you dropped off film...

Used to work in Tampa on one side of the HowWeird Frankland Bridge and live in St. Pete on the other...could see the bridge from work and if it was backed up...made a stop at the large barrel at the Store 24/gas station on the Tampa side before heading home...

I am a believer that URI should sell beer within the concourses but limit it to one beer per person, that will reduce drinks getting in the hands of minors and increase an important revenue stream for the school.

After this Charlestown game, it’s clear they need to enhance their efficiency within the bars. The lines to actually get a drink while in the bar is downright ridiculous. Those lines should be staffed by four individuals, two collecting payments and two serving the drinks. It takes way to long to work through the lines and URI is losing a significant revenue bounce because of it.

Time to make changes so the program can maximize this revenue stream, they can’t afford to ignore this any longer.

I will give credit that the TV’s in the bar area are a nice touch, well done.

CT Rhody wrote:I am a believer that URI should sell beer within the concourses but limit it to one beer per person, that will reduce drinks getting in the hands of minors and increase an important revenue stream for the school.

After this Charlestown game, it’s clear they need to enhance their efficiency within the bars. The lines to actually get a drink while in the bar is downright ridiculous. Those lines should be staffed by four individuals, two collecting payments and two serving the drinks. It takes way to long to work through the lines and URI is losing a significant revenue bounce because of it.

Time to make changes so the program can maximize this revenue stream, they can’t afford to ignore this any longer.

I will give credit that the TV’s in the bar area are a nice touch, well done.

It took me 10 minutes to get a soda tonight. The girl poured it then didn't know how to ring it up. She kept apologizing saying it was her first day. I felt bad for her. Doesn't anybody train these kids? So, if they sell beer in the concourses, hopefully they will have some experienced employees doing it.

.......make the Rhody Pubs bigger, greater beer selection, quicker service, have single brand kiosk type service around the concourse, more TVs,......

section(105) wrote:.......make the Rhody Pubs bigger, greater beer selection, quicker service, have single brand kiosk type service around the concourse, more TVs,......

If you had a contest to see how they could serve beer slower, no one could win, because they have that method perfected already.

NYGFan_Section208 wrote:

section(105) wrote:.......make the Rhody Pubs bigger, greater beer selection, quicker service, have single brand kiosk type service around the concourse, more TVs,......

If you had a contest to see how they could serve beer slower, no one could win, because they have that method perfected already.

Kegs instead of cans would be a start.. The amount of money they are leaving on the table is dumbfounding.

NYGFan_Section208 wrote:

section(105) wrote:.......make the Rhody Pubs bigger, greater beer selection, quicker service, have single brand kiosk type service around the concourse, more TVs,......

If you had a contest to see how they could serve beer slower, no one could win, because they have that method perfected already.

Did they hire the concessionaire from the Dunkin' Dump?

They should really partner with Whaler’s.

I don’t know if kegs vs cans is a big time saver. Kegs you have to worry about pouring foam which takes a bit of time as well. The biggest issue is only two people working at each pub, and of course, not being able to take beer to your seats, which clogs everything up.

Give cans and cups (if folks want them)...no pouring - pour your own...will bump up the speed considerably. Seems part of the problem might also be that the areas they have these in aren't built for it. Carpet everywhere and serving beer any way except the way they do it now...the carpet where they stand would be permanently soaked... It's pretty clear that the pubs are a half-arse commitment - sell beer, occasionally, for limited events, and be able to take it down/get rid of the evidence for other events. Probably not going to change until they fully commit, which would include beers to seats....and sales out of kiosks and/or the other concession stands...

I agree they should partner with Whalers, but not sure they can keep up with the volume.

They already serve beer at the Ryan Center.

It’s asinine that they half ass it. You already offer the product...offer it fully or not at all.

They should keep the pubs but allow people to take beer back to their seats to help unclog the area a bit. One per person to help mitigate underage drinking or over drinking issues.

I love the idea to allow people to pour their own beer, hand them the cup and can and move on to the next person. If each pub had 3 people holding squares that allow you to swipe credit cards and hand the receipt to the two people serving beer that shows what they paid for, problem solved and line would move quickly.

Serving free alcohol to the students is the best way to ensure a good atmosphere.

Blue Man wrote:They already serve beer at the Ryan Center.

It’s asinine that they half ass it. You already offer the product...offer it fully or not at all.

That's what I'm saying, it's totally half-assed...the pubs are like pop-up shops.
They have more people at the entrance checking ID's, counting people and slapping on wrist-bands than they do selling product...

Blue Man wrote:They already serve beer at the Ryan Center.

It’s asinine that they half ass it. You already offer the product...offer it fully or not at all.

I agree with this. I would love to have a beer or two and happily spend an extra $20 / game to do so as long as I could go back to my seat and enjoy the game from there

I imagine a situation where the pub does not even handle the transactions and also the venue can limit beverages per person to ensure no overserving/underage drinking while allowing people to enter/exit the pub with beverages. Setup tables, downstairs just after the gate and/or upstairs near the stairs: a few people there only check ID's, give you a wristband and you purchase up to 2 tokens each valid for a beer (I suppose ONE token if you want to be puritanical about it.) You would have to average the cost of beers between Bud on the low end and craft beer on the high end to determine the appropriate token price.

In the pub, you need to show your wristband in addition to exchanging your token for a beer. No line to get in with people fumbling for their license, no transaction unless you want to drop a buck in the tip jar. That way you can take care of business before the game even tips off and be in and out during the course of a timeout with beverage in your seat if you time it right.

Pub sucks because it gets to a 1 in and 1 out at times. That limits the access.

They charge like $7.50 for a Gansett. The thing must make money. If it doesn't make big money, then open it up and check the numbers then. They can pay for a Dave Cox off of Beer sales at games each year if it was open to everyone and the beer could go to the seats.

Isn't there certain restrictions to where and when you can sell lq during NCAA events?

BleedBlue87 wrote:Isn't there certain restrictions to where and when you can sell lq during NCAA events?

Yes, but the NCAA doesn't take ownership of regular season games - only the tournament.

I can promise you that the staff inside of athletics and the Ryan Center is trying to get beer approved for everywhere - as they have done at certain concerts and events - they just haven't been successful yet.

Interesting, who makes the ultimate call, Dooley?

So many bigger things to get sorted with our program than whether fans can drink at their seats at an hour and forty minute sporting event.

.......if beers in the seats, how long will it take for people calling for beer free zones......?

Blue Man wrote:

BleedBlue87 wrote:Isn't there certain restrictions to where and when you can sell lq during NCAA events?

Yes, but the NCAA doesn't take ownership of regular season games - only the tournament.

I can promise you that the staff inside of athletics and the Ryan Center is trying to get beer approved for everywhere - as they have done at certain concerts and events - they just haven't been successful yet.

If they can do it for concerts and other events at the Ryan Center then it should be too hard to do it for basketball games. Living in CT, some fans only get Uconn tickets for games downtown because they sell at the Hartford Civic Center but not Gampel. Selling beer and allowing people to bring it back to their seats enhanced the overall experience for a significant segment of the fan base. Helps bring casual fans in more as well. Let’s get this done.

I would have votes YES if Jim Baron was still our coach.

I don't even drink beer, but I vote for beer everywhere and big time upgrades to the U.Pub

The Ryan Center is built with around 7800 seats now.....the amenities are nowhere near adequate to handle that many people....even with crowds of 5500 the lines for the restrooms and the concessions are huge......it is not pleasurable to wait in these long lines.....and the pub is way too inadequate for the demand....

....who the hell designed this arena ? ....What are we gonna do when we consistently average over 7000 per game? This doesn't even take into consideration if we allow beer and wine to be taken to the seats......

Ramulous wrote:The Ryan Center is built with around 7800 seats now.....the amenities are nowhere near adequate to handle that many people....even with crowds of 5500 the lines for the restrooms and the concessions are huge......it is not pleasurable to wait in these long lines.....and the pub is way too inadequate for the demand....

....who the hell designed this arena ? ....What are we gonna do when we consistently average over 7000 per game? This doesn't even take into consideration if we allow beer and wine to be taken to the seats......

.......regarding the question on what are we gonna do when we are average of +7,000per game?..... for me, I will jump for joy, sit back and enjoy the ride......cause it would mean Coach stayed, turned down repeated offers to leave.....that we are sustained dominant team in the A10.....have a string of NCAA appearances......gone to sweet few Sweet 16 round......annual beat down of PC......so whatever arena negatives that remain, I will manage just fine.....

theblueram wrote:Only in a state where you can only buy beer in a liquor store would we ask if beer should be available in a sports arena. I'm waiting for the day I can gas my car up and get a six pack.

In Austin we can do that. It lowers prices because there is much more competition.

Ryan center should have an attached pub, where you can get a beer and a pub dinner, before or after the game, at reasonable prices. That is what makes the Dunk a good experience, where you can meet friends before or after a game.

Victorino wrote:Ryan center should have an attached pub, where you can get a beer and a pub dinner, before or after the game, at reasonable prices. That is what makes the Dunk a good experience, where you can meet friends before or after a game.

This sounds familiar - I said what exactly needs to be done a year ago - they don't listen - they just don't listen to me !

Victorino wrote:Ryan center should have an attached pub, where you can get a beer and a pub dinner, before or after the game, at reasonable prices. That is what makes the Dunk a good experience, where you can meet friends before or after a game.

......yes, of course it should, having not been designed into the space so now some challenges I guess......there are those empty spaces on both the north/south concourses toward the exterior walls......make one a real pub?.......not being in that business, is it worth it for a limited number of nites at the RC to be open?.....something needs to change in this situation......no?

Rule number 1 broken they failed to listen to ECR !!

Just heard about this on the Butler-Xavier Pre game.

http://www.gocreighton.com/news/2011/1/ ... 74510.aspx

great promotion....

URI should have a craft brewery in for every home game. Great revenue generator for URI and great promotion for the craft brewery, a true win win.

Funny. I tried to get a shuttle going from sponsor bars down the line to the games for students but that got shot down.

Remarkable that other athletic departments found a way to make that happen.

Smart idea Blue, easy and effective.