JSU to start selling alcohol at home football games on Saturday

Jacksonville State University’s athletics department this week announced it will implement alcohol sales before and during football games at JSU Stadium’s Burgess-Snow Field beginning with Saturday’s home opener against Chattanooga.

Kiosks will be added to the concourse specifically for beer sales. Beer will be sold by trained and licensed servers at five designated points of sales and will be served only by trained team members, within governing regulations. No alcohol will be sold or available at any of the current concession stands to expedite the waits for other concession products.

“We are always looking for ways to improve upon what is already one of the best fan experiences in FCS football, and this is another way to offer more for fans attending our games,” JSU athletics director Greg Seitz said in a statement.

“Universities across the country have seen both a decrease in alcohol-related incidents and an enhanced fan experience when they provide a controlled environment for alcohol sales,” he added.

Over the last several months, JSU’s athletic department reportedly began developing policies, infrastructure and partnerships to support the responsible sale of alcohol at their home football stadium. Throughout the process, JSU athletics staff mandated policies that emphasized safety and security of fans before, during and after events.

“First and foremost, we are committed to providing a safe, family-friendly atmosphere in our venues,” Seitz explained. “We have worked hard to develop a responsible plan for this new offering at our games, and our game day staff will partner with our campus police department, local law enforcement and other campus constituents to provide a safe and positive environment for everyone in attendance.”

Beer sales will begin once the gates are opened to the general public and conclude at the end of the third quarter. At no time will alcoholic beverages be allowed to leave JSU Stadium. A maximum of two alcoholic beverages may be purchased per transaction.

All patrons will be required to produce a valid photo ID when purchasing any alcoholic beverage inside the stadium. Acceptable photo IDs must have the holder’s birthday and include valid driver’s licenses, military ID cards, passports and government-issued photo ID cards.

Patrons consuming alcohol must be able to produce a valid photo ID at all times, and stadium personnel may ask to see an ID at locations away from the point of sale. JSU Athletics emphasized that anyone consuming alcohol must be able to prove – at any time or location – they are age 21 or older.

“We are implementing a number of corresponding initiatives aimed at preventing underage consumption and promoting responsible choices, including a ‘We ID Program,’” Seitz advised.

“These new changes will give fans the game day experience they have been asking for, and the commitment and partnership between our members, retailers and universities will help create a safe environment for all attendees,” he concluded.

To be clear, liquor will not be sold.