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The school announced the idea back in May, and now it's official: Toledo athletics will sell beer and wine at football, and basketball games effective this fall, per the Toledo Blade.
The Rockets got the OK this past week when the Ohio division of liquor control granted them a liquor license. The move allows Toledo fans to get their drink on, while potentially providing the University with a new source of revenue. In a world of ever increasing athletics costs, and decreasing federal, and state funding for public universities, this could be a big thing for the Rockets' athletic department.
According to The Blade, Toledo is just the 23rd FBS school, and the fourth in the Mid-American Conference to sell alcohol. Bowling Green began selling alcohol at its sporting events a few years back, and reportedly made $25,000 in alcohol sales this past year.
While many opponents of selling alcohol at college sporting events cite at-risk drinking (see: binge) from college students as a key problem with alcohol sales at college sporting events, Toledo's athletic director Mike O'Brien ensured The Blade that campus police will man all selling areas, and a limit of two beers, per person, per transaction will be enforced.
But really, with prices expected to run at $6 for a 16-ounce beer, it's unrealistic to see this appealing to many college students. I don't know about you, but as a current college senior, the last thing I want to do is drop $6 on a single beer. I certainly don't see any college student's sipping on a glass of Moscato during a third quarter drive.
We can debate the merits of selling alcohol at sporting events until we pass out, but the fact is the trend towards selling beer and wine at college games is just beginning.