FSU Football: The Alcohol Edition

By Erica Gleeman on March 15, 2017

Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

“I have traveled the world and seen many sights. But, the spectacle of FSU college football in a meaningful game against a division opponent is unrivaled if you’re a sports fan.”

So gushes one man in a tripadvisor.com review after his maiden visit to watch the revered, three-time national college football champions play at the Doak S. Campbell Stadium. To say fan fervor for the FSU Seminoles dominates the university, spilling into the surrounding community and even to tourists from across the country, only begins to describe the Noles’ commanding hold over fans. A sense of near-worship grips the campus on game days; students, faculty, and visitors strut proudly in garnet and gold outfits in honor of the school colors. Parking and tailgate festivities start hours in advance, and eventually, 10,000 people pack the stadium whenever the Noles are in town.

Yet just as the excitement on game day is so thick it almost seems tangible, the connection between the frenzy over Florida State Football games and drinking remains a strong one. To many fans, football and drinking go together like quarterbacks and shoulder pads. In the past, drinking was mostly limited to tailgate areas.

However, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, with the rise of luxury box seats and other premium seating, colleges started offering alcohol in those areas to attract generous donors. Gradually, schools such as Miami that play in municipal stadiums began to permit the stadium-wide sale of beer. If the national trend is any indication, universities run by the State of Florida could be not far behind.

Beer and football — could it be a match at Florida State? The majority of colleges do not sell or even allow beer at their football games, but in recent times the number of universities that do is rising. With the recent growth, fans are able to pace themselves with drinking, discouraging binge drinking at the same time. The alcohol management at Florida State University has been very strong throughout the years. Aramark and Florida State have together received positive effects due to the success of selling beer to the Donald Tucker Civic Center. In case you didn’t know, the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center hosts the basketball games at Florida State University.

According to The Daily Orange:

“At Florida State University, beer isn’t sold to the general public or to students during football games because Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium is located on campus. But Florida State does allow sales to attendees during basketball games because its home facility, the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Fla., is off campus, said Elliott Finebloom, assistant athletic director and sports information director at Florida State.”

In the spring of the 2016 season, Aramark and Florida State decided it was time to have beer available at the Florida State baseball games at Dick Howser Stadium. The positive financial return of beer sales at the Civic Center is behind the alcohol decision allowed at Dick Howser Stadium. Beer sales are quite regulated with a three beer max per person of legal age.

From a review on Yelp from an FSU alumni, the beer and baseball combo seems to be a home run:

“Since my freshman year of college, I’d sit back, relax and enjoy America’s Pastime at Dick Howser Stadium. It’s a gorgeous ballpark with excellent shade coverage during those hot, dog days of summer. And as of 2016, beer is now sold on premise! What’s better than cold beer, a hot dog and the crack (or ping) of the bat? You guessed it, nada!The Noles have some loyal freakin’ fans, too. I’m talking about fans who cheer/scream/shout for every single pitch of a nine inning game. It’s a magical place. Even those who aren’t FSU fans can appreciate its beauty. Florida State, Florida State, Florida State. Woooo!”

History Lesson: Dick Howser Stadium is on campus and neighbors Doak Campbell Stadium. Do you think FSU football and beer could be next? How could it not? It is FSU football after all! Even an anonymous college official who wrote on CollegeConfidential.com sounds ready for the FSU football season: “There’s nothing better than Tallahassee in the fall on game day! A stadium full of fans doing the chop will give you chills every time.”

Doak Campbell Stadium’s decision to swipe right on beer is to be continued.

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