Nebraska to become 17th Big Ten school to sell alcohol at football games in 2025 if regents give OK

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska would sell alcohol at Memorial Stadium in 2025 if the university’s Board of Regents gives its approval at its next meeting.

The proposal is listed on the agenda for the October meeting in Kearney next Friday and was first reported by The Omaha World-Herald.

Nebraska would become the 17th Big Ten school to sell alcohol at football games. Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State began alcohol sales at their stadiums this year. Northwestern would be the only Big Ten school that does not sell alcohol.

The Nebraska proposal would allow sales at all athletic events across the three campuses that have athletic programs. A portion of the profits would be designated for alcohol abuse education and/or services.

An Associated Press survey of power-conference schools and Notre Dame found that, as of last November, 55 of 69 sold alcohol in the public areas of their stadiums on game days. That number would now be at least 56 with Wisconsin’s announcement in July that it would sell in general seating areas this year.

Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen did not immediately return a message for comment.

Former athletic director Trev Alberts had said in 2022 that that now-101-year-old Memorial Stadium did not have the proper infrastructure to accommodate sales. Alberts had said alcohol probably would not be available until a stadium renovation took place.

Plans for a major renovation have been pushed back, but Dannen told the World-Herald that upgrades required for alcohol sales would be made after this football season.

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