Should Beer be Sold at the Ryan Center?

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 11 years ago

for Kip Moore concert. has this ever happened before?
(BTW, I'm against it being served during basketball games...)

GansettSummer · Unread post by **GansettSummer** » 11 years ago

It's happened a couple times this year. Wayne Brady Family Weekend show and that MMA event in the fall. It's a beer garden setup where you can't take it from the area to your seat though which isn't ideal but it's something.

I heard the Bob Dylan show coming up is full sales throughout the arena though where you can take it anywhere.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 11 years ago

Yeah, they set up beer garden and you can stand in the overlook under the big scoreboard.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 11 years ago

Iggy I respect your wisdom but beer at the games is a good thing. Older folks like myself need a pop or two to loosen up. The RC is not a church. Its a college basketball arena on campus. Its not a church. Its a party.

Tom98 · Unread post by **Tom98** » 11 years ago

I too agree beer should be served at our games. It would be nice to enjoy a nice beer and it would generate alot of money for the Ryan Center in general. No brainer in my opinion, with technology today they could also enforce ID's being scanned to verify they are real and this would restrict students underage from drinking.

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 11 years ago

Is the University of Rhode Island a dry campus? And if yes, would that have anything to do with why beer is not sold at the Ryan Center during games?

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 11 years ago

rhodyfan3 wrote:Is the University of Rhode Island a dry campus? And if yes, would that have anything to do with why beer is not sold at the Ryan Center during games?

I think they classify themselves as a moist campus, or at least, that's what I vaguely recall from orientation / tours. If you're 21, you're allowed to keep something like a six-pack but no hard alcohol in your room. Not that it really matters, since everyone just goes to Narragansett or off-campus in South Kingstown to drink anyway.

twisted3829 · Unread post by **twisted3829** » 11 years ago

you can have hard alcohol, if you're 21 you can have a 12 pack or a liter of hard alcohol. If you're going to someone's room who is also 21 you can bring a 6 pack or half a liter of hard alcohol.

I was an RA for 2 years ago.

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 11 years ago

I am definitely in favor of selling beer at the Ryan Center. It is a money maker. Might attract the older college students to come to the games as well.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

I was lucky. The drinking age was 18 when I was in school. The Pub was slamming. Is The Pub even there anymore?

twisted3829 · Unread post by **twisted3829** » 11 years ago

no pubs on campus

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 11 years ago

No fun on campus. That's why upperclassman leave campus ASAP.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 11 years ago

I think we burying the lead here.

Who the hell is Kip Moore?

GansettSummer · Unread post by **GansettSummer** » 11 years ago

Country artist. Played a great sold out show tonight

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 11 years ago

Why do rednecks get beer but not normal people?

EricRueb · Unread post by **EricRueb** » 11 years ago

Easy solution - anyone under 25 must have a school ID to but beer.
My buddy went to Stonehill and a couple package stores near campus wouldn't sell without a school ID. Why? They'd keep the info on file; a quick swipe would tell you if it's legit or not.
Beer sales would be huge for revenue and it would bring the off campus crowd to Kingston. If the school provided busses from down the line to the Ryan Center it would work wonders.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 11 years ago

That would also help deter fake ID use. I had a couple fakes in college. One was a friend's older brother's old license. The college ID thing would have stopped me from using that. A better fake (one with your real name and picture, but a different birth year) would defeat that system.

reef · Unread post by **reef** » 11 years ago

Definetly in favor of beer served at all college hoop games

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 11 years ago

I guess they're taking baby steps but I would think having drinking at a concert would be more concerning than a basketball game.

seanmc94 · Unread post by **seanmc94** » 11 years ago

Against NCAA regulations to sell alcohol at on campus venues

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 11 years ago

seanmc94 wrote:Against NCAA regulations to sell alcohol at on campus venues

No matter how many times we prove this wrong, someone still throws it out there as fact.

iBall · Unread post by **iBall** » 11 years ago

seanmc94 wrote:Against NCAA regulations to sell alcohol at on campus venues

Wrong again my Fair Fryer Friend

220 MARQUETTE SPORTS LAW REVIEW [Vol. 23:1
However, the NCAA chooses not to ban alcohol sales during regular
season competition, instead leaving the decision to sell up to the conferences
and schools.70 Some conferences, like the Southeastern Conference, have
rules prohibiting the sale of alcohol in general seating areas.71 Other
conferences, such as the Big 12, do not.72 If the conference does not regulate
the public sale of alcohol at its members’ stadiums, the universities are left to
make their own decisions.73 But just because a university is allowed to sell
alcohol under the NCAA or conference rules does not necessarily mean that it
will choose to do so.

Here's the link to the complete document
MARQUETTE SPORTS LAW REVIEW !

seanmc94 · Unread post by **seanmc94** » 11 years ago

I sit corrected.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 11 years ago

seanmc94 wrote:Against NCAA regulations to sell alcohol at on campus venues

Seriously, Sean? You are (in my mind, at least) a well-educated student of college hoop. Shame. Xavier, for example, sells beer at Cintas. There's one example for ya. Cuse, another team you should know well, sells LOTS of beer at the Dome. SLU sells at Chaifeitz (or however you spell that).

Ramblinrose · Unread post by **Ramblinrose** » 11 years ago

If you've got to sell beer in order to draw people to your basketball games, they're probably not the people you want to draw. And if you can't sit two hours without beer, that says a little something.
I wouldn't be surprised if it happens, though. It's a money maker and the RC is a tomb most of the time. The Pub was a big spot when I was in school, too. Great place to hang if you lived on campus. I think it vanished when they raised the drinking age to 21. Though the room itself remains.

Ramulous · Unread post by **Ramulous** » 11 years ago

Where is costag ??

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Thanks Rosie. Couldn't have said it any better.

Ramblinrose · Unread post by **Ramblinrose** » 11 years ago

Where is Gandy?

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 11 years ago

Temple sells beer at their place as well. The only NCAA rule is no beer at NCAA Tournament sites. I don't believe that the NCAA has any rules about campus sites for regular season games. I think it is more an individual school's policy decision. Given the problems that schools have with underage drinking, most decide not to have it at games played on their campus.

hrstrat57 · Unread post by **hrstrat57** » 11 years ago

Ramblinrose wrote:If you've got to sell beer in order to draw people to your basketball games, they're probably not the people you want to draw. And if you can't sit two hours without beer, that says a little something.
I wouldn't be surprised if it happens, though. It's a money maker and the RC is a tomb most of the time. The Pub was a big spot when I was in school, too. Great place to hang if you lived on campus. I think it vanished when they raised the drinking age to 21. Though the room itself remains.

Another pub veteran here.

I can feel the squishy beer/soggy carpet under my sneakers now....squish, squish squish.

Two fisted pitchers comin' atcha.

Wild times in retrospect......

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 11 years ago

Ramblinrose wrote:If you've got to sell beer in order to draw people to your basketball games, they're probably not the people you want to draw. And if you can't sit two hours without beer, that says a little something.

If you can't sit two hours without nachos soaked in liquid cheese, a box of candy, and a giant soda, that says a little something too. Should we shut down all concessions? The goal is to try and attract customers, not fix people so they fit some people's idea of the right crowd.

Captainron@ · Unread post by **Captainron@** » 11 years ago

The Rat was rocking in the 70s

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 11 years ago

I'd like to reserve judgment on selling beer at the Ryan Center for at least a season or two. I think fans will come and come big starting next season.

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 11 years ago

ATPTourFan wrote:I'd like to reserve judgment on selling beer at the Ryan Center for at least a season or two. I think fans will come and come big starting next season.

This would be my suspicion as well.

As far as selling booze, eh. I can understand why the university would or wouldn't want to do it. Obviously, the margins and volume on alcohol are a lot better than other stuff like hot dogs and popcorn. However, given URI's past reputation as an out of control party school to some in the state, I can also understand why they're not eager to allow alcohol sales in the Ryan Center for basketball games.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 11 years ago

While they certainly are concerned about how to manage underage drinking if beer were sold to the general public, I think more of their concern is weighted on the long-time marketing of the Ryan Center and URI Basketball being a family friendly atmosphere, etc etc. Sure, that can be debated both ways, but we'll see.

Again, I doubt they'd make any big moves (adding beer) until they meter the fan response to winning Hurley basketball.

NY2Rhody · Unread post by **NY2Rhody** » 11 years ago

as nice and respectable a "family atmosphere" is, its still college basketball. There is nothing intimidating about a family atmosphere. Heaven forbid some fans drink enough liquid courage that they actually stand up and make noise. Selling beer won't hurt our reputation. If college kids want to drink, they will drink. The difference is that people who are 21+ and want to have a buzz for the game tend to binge drink before hand which is dangerous and also doesnt give us any profits. Stupid kids will be stupid kids. There is nothing to do to change that. But selling beer can only attract people. The ryan center must have made a ton at the Kip Moore concert. I was there and the line for booze was really long. It can only help.

Blue Man · Unread post by **Blue Man** » 11 years ago

Ramblinrose wrote:If you've got to sell beer in order to draw people to your basketball games, they're probably not the people you want to draw. And if you can't sit two hours without beer, that says a little something.
I wouldn't be surprised if it happens, though. It's a money maker and the RC is a tomb most of the time. The Pub was a big spot when I was in school, too. Great place to hang if you lived on campus. I think it vanished when they raised the drinking age to 21. Though the room itself remains.

Those are exactly the type of people I want to draw. If you're giving me the choice of an eldery, family, mom jean, why-are-you-yelling-could-you-please-sit-down? crowd, or people that understand a basketball arena is not a chapel and enjoy having a good time...bubble in B on the scantron. We call that a home court advantage.

I don't understand how anyone can view this as a bad thing.

A) alcohol is already sold at ryan center: in the alumni lounge, or given away in the boxes. Take the money that we desperately need. It will only help the team and the athletic department.

B) Worried about drunk kids? there are drunk kids at the game all the time. it's college. kids drink. adults drink. people drink. get over it.

C) Do you know how many beers it takes the average college student to get legitimately belligerent? Way more than a student on a college budget could afford at sports arena prices. I can tell you exactly how college students would think about beer at the games versus going out.

For example: say we're playing a crappy team, or a non-sexy draw as a home game. Kids have to decide between going out for karaoke, wing night, pint night or trivia - wednesday night stuff. They can do the normal and pre-game at the dorm and then go out....or go to the game and pregame with a couple of beers at the ryan center and then go out.

example conversation:
bro 1: "wanna go get drunk at the ryan center for the rhody/crap state team game?"
bro 2: "dude im in college...not about to drop $50 on beers."
bro 1: "good point. grab a couple at the game and then we'll get weird after?"
bro 2: "sure."

or

bro 1: "dude screw going to the game tonight, lets just get shitty."
bro 2: " we can just pre game at the game and get shitty after."
bro 1: "fine. i'm in."

On top of this, security needs to change how they treat 21 year old adults, and underclassmen too. The most important thing for every basketball home game is to have an environment that will help your team win. NOT an environment that is family friendly and happy baby safe.

Young people, loud people, and drunk people help create that environment.

Old people, quiet people, and sober people do not.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 11 years ago

BFC wrote:
seanmc94 wrote:Against NCAA regulations to sell alcohol at on campus venues
No matter how many times we prove this wrong, someone still throws it out there as fact.

Agreed. This subject has been discussed ad nauseum before - and as you said proved wrong.
Example I have used from the past is Dayton. Arena is in with the baseball field, softball field, soccer, tennis, etc - just like at URI and the beer flows freely at Dayton arena. Many other schools serve beer too.
But for all that I agree not to sell beer at the Ryan. URI's reputation suffered from being a Party school and has made a lot of progress to get respectability back. Not ready to see the school regress. Sure there is partying and drinking there - but not even remotely close to what it used to be.
Until next year when this "against NCAA regulations" surfaces again.

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 11 years ago

Blue Man, I doubt they're ever going to cater toward the college kids, for exactly the reasons you see as a benefit. Why would you want a bunch of loaded up kids who are going to do shit like get into fights, throw-up in the bathrooms and swear at opposing coaches when you can have families without behavior issues that will also buy a shit-ton of merchandise from the conveniently placed pro shop?

As far as the crowd energy goes, I think it'll get better when the ticket is a tougher buy. The Ryan Center was plenty loud and inhospitable during some of the Baron years, when the program was nationally ranked or closed to ranked, or playing in a NIT game that wasn't a letdown. And if the program sucks, well, it doesn't matter if they sell alcohol or not. The Dunk sells alcohol, and that place was a mausoleum anyway when the program was on a downturn in the first or second Keno year. (I can't remember which off the top of my head, it was the year I covered some games for The Sun.)

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 11 years ago

During the baron years, they should have mandated drinking for all fans.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Bottom line, if you need to drink at a game, if you need to get tuned up to watch a game, guess what?
YOU HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM!
So, let's exterminate people over 50, for the crime of being "older". Let's let drunks ruin the game for others.
Yeah, that's what we need to do. Get Thorr on the phone.
I guarantee you, that when I take my family, I spend more money on merchandise, and food than
the proposed drunks would spend.
I don't want to deal with drunken sops at a ballgame, or anywhere else, for that matter.

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 11 years ago

Nobody would ever dare bring their kids to the Red Sox or Pawsox, or Celtics, or PC, or Bruins, Boston or Providence. Nope, no way. No kids or families at those events, just drunks.

By the way, I also think they should sell Del's Lemonade at the games, what is wrong with me I must not be able to go 2 hours without needing a Del's Lemonade.

SlyWilliamsCaddy · Unread post by **SlyWilliamsCaddy** » 11 years ago

ramster, respectfully, you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. uri's student population is defined nowadays the same way it was in the 1970's; u r high baby. the amount of drinking the happens on campus is limited due to the fact that the on campus population is made up of mostly freshman and sophmores. but the overall "scene" at uri is one of binge drinking, mass weed consumption, and rampant use of adderall, cocaine and molly (which half of this board is too old to even know).

Get with the times.

URI absolutely NEEDS to sell beer for two reasons: 1. our lovely state is broke, we are currently paying 2 coaches salaries and need all the money we can get.
2. Alcoholism and drug addiction aside, because personally i dont do either, our state and our student population is filled with people who enjoy consuming alcohol. im 25 yrs old yet i can still remember the days of the providence civic center being filled to the brim for a mediocre opponent, the days of hanging out in the trinity brewhouse before a game when everyone was shoulder to shoulder talking about micheal anderson and tyson. Sale of alcohol is something that attracts fans. Rod I'm sorry but last time i checked, the diehard alumni had our great facility averaging about 3500 fans a game this year. So if you think that you're 100 bucks you are spending on you're grandchildren are going to cover for an empty 4200 seats then you're not as smart as i believed you to be. URI allots 1500 free seats to students, students that i attend school with who have told me time and time again that they have no interest in going to the game because there is no alcohol allowed, friends and acquaintances and people I dont even know that would rather go watch the game at charlie o's or the mews or rhody joes or at home because they can have a beverage. to say that drunk kids would be a problem is a joke because last time i checked every other arena in the country that serves booze doesnt have a problem enforcing the rules. Hire a couple extra south kingstown cops, god knows they need something to do.

I dont encourage mass drinking at games. but lets do easy math here, and this is all under the assumption of us averaging around the 5800 to 6000 we averaged in the good baron yrs; I would venture to say that a minimum of 1000 people would buy at least one drink. 5 or 6 bucks a beer, 15 games a year, and you're talking about some serious cash. The Rhode Island reality is its probably more like 3000 people, buying 6 drinks apiece, at 7.50 a beer plus tax; but at the end of the day this is something that Im hoping the school addresses.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 11 years ago

I don't know what I am talking about? All I am saying is that I don't agree that beer should be sold at the Ryan Center. I also corrected that Beer can be sold at Basketball games and the NCAA does not have a rule against this during the season.
Remember beer can't be sold at Football games either at URI - it is not just basektball

The Dude · Unread post by **The Dude** » 11 years ago

I currently have friends and family that attend URI. Back in my day...a whole 8 years ago...I remember drinking and having floor parties in the ghetto dorms. We had some pretty cool RA's. I went during the days of mass Red Sox vs Yankee fan riots, the days of 2am D.P. Dough Calzones, the days of Jack-o-laterns on the balcony that were carved into a giant male genitalia, the days of kids dying falling off of balconies and through large glass windows, the days of fraternities being shut down or kicked off campus, and the days of what were called a "dry campus". HA.
1st point-
I was at a football game where 5 students in front of us were texting non-stop. I have no idea why they came. I know the team isn't good, but there's no point in going to an event if you're not going to watch. I don't think they looked at the game even once. Somehow I think attendance won't be a problem next year or for a fews years. I recall a few of us saying last year, when we were referring to the possible hiring of Dan Hurley, that "if you bring him...or if you build it, they will come". It was a reference to how fans will come if the program improves. This should help with the revenue. Offering alcohol at the Ryan Center may not be necessary for revenue purposes.
2nd point-
The drinking age is 21. Most people are typically in their junior or senior year by that age. That's the good part. I'm hesitant about selling alcohol at the Ryan Center because let's face it....many of us or at least many of whom we knew weren't the most responsible people in college. I'm concerned about the fights, conflicts and problems that may arise from allowing the students to get wasted at the games....and let's face it...when did any one ever leave their dorm saying "lets go grab two beers, but just two beers"....NOOOOO...they always said stuff like "lets get wasted...or let's pre-game, then get hammered". Let's face it...many kids these days are more familiar with how to handle their Twitter feed and texting than they are with how to handle their alcohol. Just look at the "short hand" people use when typing. They're too lazy to type a capital "I" and choose to just type "i" all the time. Many kids these days break up a relationship by sending a text rather than talking face to face. Things like modern warfare are known as a cool video game rather than the terrorists in Afghanistan and the the threat of Iran gaining nuclear capability. This is a concern. What may be a more pleasant experience for the students may become an unpleasant experience for the alumni/program donors. OH...and let's not forget that PC fans and opponents fans will be able to increase their alcohol intake during games. I'm not sure I feel like getting groped by a belligerent Friar.

haha.
Conclusion:
BUT...I guess they could give it a shot. If things go well, then they can continue to sell. If things go bad, then just stop doing it.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Yeah. what he said. I think.

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 11 years ago

Del's with vodka is great.

reef · Unread post by **reef** » 11 years ago

I voted yes, big fan of beer

Blue Man · Unread post by **Blue Man** » 11 years ago

1500 free seats with kids who aren't buying anything but food. Guarantee you squeeze a minimum of an extra $5 profit from the 500 who are old enough to drink.

5 x 500 = $2500

$2500 x 16 games = $15000

15 grand extra (and this is an extremely conservative estimate) from a population who wouldn't normally buy anything).

If we fill up the arena, and HALF the people buy ONE drink, at an average profit of $5 per drink -

37800 people x $5 = $19000 PROFIT PER GAME. CONSERVATIVELY. So call it 20 grand.

That's $320,000 that we are just deciding not to make. Never mind any advertising dollars that a beer company brings in.

Most every other sporting arena in the country sells beer. I've been to a fair amount of them. I don't remember any one of them becoming some weird, sloppy, pukey, fightey, no one else is welcome here binge drinking party...so I'm not entirely sure where this negative idea about people who drink at sporting events is coming from.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Guess you were never at the old Sullivan Stadium or the Meadowlands.
Drunken morons everywhere.

Should beer be sold at the RC at Basketball Games?